


Follow You Home

by Blacksheep28, Rainbowmandms



Category: Alternate Universe- Bitty bones, Alternate Universe- Bitty ones, Bitty Bones - Fandom, Swapfell - Fandom, Underfell - Fandom, Undertale (Video Game), Unsderswap
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Bittybones (Undertale), Bad Decisions, Character Development, Does adoption count when its not legal?, Fighting, Injury, M/M, Masochism, Other, Property Destruction, Self Harm, Swearing, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships, bitty adoption?, catching feels, i'm sure i'll think of more tags later, idiots in their natural habitat, like at 2am, mother hen Blue, sad boy hours
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:33:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 44,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26247214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blacksheep28/pseuds/Blacksheep28, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbowmandms/pseuds/Rainbowmandms
Summary: Black didn’t have a brother. He lived just fine, thank you very much. Except the rest of these idiotic copies of him have one! Soft souls, he doesn’t need that. No matter how nice it looks…And then one of them makes a suggestion that turns everything upside down.Very very loosely inspired by the How to Raise Your Bitty Series.
Relationships: Black/bitty
Comments: 74
Kudos: 84





	1. The Bitty

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [How to Raise your Bitty](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23364652) by [Little_Guy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Guy/pseuds/Little_Guy). 



"A BITTY!" Papyrus chimed in loudly, above the multitude of different voices throwing his hands to his short clad hips and leaning up on the tips of his boot clad toes. His brother twitched a bit, not sure he trusted the shrimp of a Captain with a tiny living thing. How would it defend itself?

"Listen Paps I'm not really-" Sans just knew he was going to regret the conversation to come, hands buried in the old blue hoodie jacket, fingers clenching.

"IT'S A PERFECT SOLUTION!"

The (ex- though he refused to admit it so) Captain in question snarled. “HOW DOES A BITTY SOLVE ANYTHING?” Whatever a bitty was. He eyed the short skeleton near him wondering if he should stab him.

"WELL, THEY'RE SMALL SO THEY WOULDN'T TAKE UP TO MUCH SPACE, BUT THEY MAKE WONDERFUL COMPANIONS!"

Sans gave the other him a hollow look, skating on thin ice with that tone. He was digging a grave here, but he couldn’t help but make a small heh jab at the brash skeleton, "You know, I'm really not sure he could keep one alive bro."

"NONSENSE SANS HE CAN CERTAINLY MANAGE! CAN'T YOU BLACK?"

“OF COURSE I CAN!” Black snarled. He hated them. All of them. Mainly for how they had what he didn’t. Someone to trust. “I KEPT SNOWDIN RUNNING DIDN’T I?”

"I don't know, did you really?" Sans questioned, eyeing him; it’s a trick question, there's no going back so no proof, and he knows that must irk the not so carbon copy of himself.

Papyrus crossed his arms, "SANS DON'T BE RUDE!"

Black leaped up, magic humming into sharp bones that sliced through the air.

Sans sighed, tossing up a wall of bones to defend from the projectiles. "Look, get the bitty for all I care. Worst thing that happens is it gets returned."

Black seethed. Arrogant useless waste of dust. As if he had any right to judge! He didn't know! "I DON'T NEED ANYONE." He was fine alone. He always had been, hadn't he? If he needed something he could just fight someone.

"YOU COULD THINK OF IT AS- AS A GUARD! YES, FOR THE HOME, WHILE YOU ARE OUT!"

Black blinked. "WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU SAY THESE BITTIES WERE?"

"THEY ARE VERY SMALL COMPANIONS! THEY COME QUITE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SPECIES AS WELL." The taller skeleton was already digging around the storage space in his battle body.

Black snorted. "I'M SURE THEY MAKE FANTASTIC GUARDS."

Papyrus frowned, "THEY ARE STILL CAPABLE OF MAGIC USE. I'M CERTAIN THEY COULD BE USEFUL, UNLESS YOU BELIEVE YOU COULDN'T HANDLE MAKING A SMALLER AMOUNT OF MAGIC INTO SOMETHING GREAT. THAT IS QUITE UNDERSTANDABLE, IT IS A FEAT NOT MANY WOULD BE UP TO A CHALLENGE FOR. I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T TAKE IT ON."

Black felt himself snap a little. This was manipulation. He knew it was manipulation. But he couldn't back down from it either. "FINE. LET'S SEE THESE BITTIES. IF THEY IMPRESS ME I MIGHT NOT KILL THEM." And perhaps, if they were as harmless as he imagined, he could touch one.

"OH, RIGHT! WELL I SUPPOSE I COULD GIVE YOU THE ADDRESS TO THE SHOP." he pulled out his phone scrolling though, one of his many many friends had posted a link.

Black bristled. “I’LL SEND YOU PICTURES.”

Sans snorted and shoved his hands back into his pockets, slumping into a couch next to another hoodie clad skeleton.

"A WONDERFUL IDEA!"He texted the address to the bitty adoption to Black's phone and grinned.

Really, how could any version of him have that as a brother? Why didn’t he have any brother?  
No, don’t dwell on it. Black checked his phone and stormed out. He had a building to burn down.

* * *

It was his magic that reached the shop first; powerful, heavy, demanding submission with barely checked violence within it. Several of the bitties passed out while others hid. If a monster had been working there the magic would have caused them to close the shop. As it was, a human was working and didn’t realize what the bitties were responding to, just checking on them worriedly.

Sans looked around the store in his armor. He was promised the tiny pets were harmless. Where were they? He strode to a pen and looked inside.

The bitty was new, he'd only come into the shop that weekend, but he had caused problems ever since. He'd even managed to knock over an entire end cap display of clothes and taken a hefty bit of damage in the ensuing chaos. He hadn't been allowed out into the main pin after that, he'd scared to many of the other bitties in the shop to allow him free reign. So now he sat in his own little space, except that magic signature was wicked. It was so different from anything that had come near the shop! He leaned over the edge of the tiny bed to stare out, looking at what was giving it off.

The movement drew his attention and Sans zeroed in on the bitty that was set up alone. He walked over to examine him. “YOU ARE NOTHING.” How did something exist with so little magic?

The bitty tilted its skull at him and judged the distance between where he sat and the much larger skeleton. Interesting. He popped out of existence and reappeared on the skeleton's shoulder, "Wanna say that again? Kinda hard to hear in there."

Sans shrieked, his magic spiking sharply at the sudden too close presence. He twisted around to find the bitty on his shoulder trying to move away from-Wait. He didn’t feel anything. He froze staring at the bitty.

It blinked at him, and chuckled, "Wow, anybody tell you you're loud?"

“NO.” Sans peered at him. “YOU REALLY ARE NOTHING.” The touch wasn’t sending him into a frenzy of fear.

The shopkeeper hurried over, drawn by the scream. “Sir, are you alright?”

The bitty grinned at the shopkeep, "We're all good."

Sans snarled and knocked the bitty off him.

“Hey!” The shopkeeper frowned. “Sir I have to ask you to leave.”

“WHAT? WHY?”

“We do not condone abusive behavior toward our bitties.”

Sans snarled magic flaring and curling around him. “FINE.” He’d come back later to destroy it when it couldn’t be traced to him.

The bitty watched at the skeleton from where he landed. Oh yes, he was going to- there! He scrabbled under a shelf before the shop-keep could snatch him back up and popped into a pocket on the retreating monster.

* * *

Sans entered his carefully fortified home. He was lucky that he'd been able to get a place to live separate from the others. He would have gone insane if kept with them. He entered into a room full of clutter, took a deep breath, and proceeded to viciously destroy as much as he could reach.The bitty slipped down to the floor and dodged into the piles of clutter. He had never seen so many different items, this was a treasure trove! He peered a single eye-light out to watch the large skeleton as he ripped through things. The force behind it was stunning. He ripped his attention away from the full sized monster and made his way deeper into the pile looking for things he could s tongue to tinker with. This would be fun!

Sans left after a couple hours and headed to his room to jot down what had happened through the day. Then he began to work out. He had a routine. He’d stick to it. It was late when he finally stopped and went to grab something to eat. The sandwich he made was basic, but it was enough. He ate it slowly, not bothering to taste it.

It crept out when he heard the noise come to a minimum. He could be quiet, he'd done it a few times at the store. He stuck to the walls, staying under as much furniture as he could, popping in and out as he could. Oh the larger monster was eating...hm he should do that too at some point, but not right now. Right now he was too hyped up making a little nest area. He paused to look at the large monster for a few moments, then scrambled off again to find other things to pilfer.

This was Sans’ schedule.

At six, wake up and work out for two hours. Shower and eat. Patrol around the house. Go inside and take notes on what had been found. Train. Eventually stop and eat. Realize it was late and go to bed. Rinse and repeat, with the occasional added bonus of him going to his junk room to blow stuff up.

With that it took him a few days to realize he had a pest. Sans grumbled in dismay and put aside his workout to design some traps for catching whatever was around. He was irritated to get a phone call, most likely from one of the other skeletons to check that he hadn’t murdered anyone. Which reminded him. He still needed to burn down that store.

“WHAT?”

The bitty shadowed him a few times throughout the days. Once he even nabbed a scarf off the bathroom floor during a shower; he was fairly certain that had gotten him caught, but he didn't care. It was safely stashed back in his little nest used as a blanket to sleep rolled into. Right now he was dodging the trap just under the edge of the bed so he could listen in on the phone call.

"HELLO BLACK, IT'S THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" he chirped back not at all put off by the surly attitude and greeting, "I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE GOING TO JOIN US TOMORROW EVENING FOR THE GAME NIGHT, AND MAYBE IF YOU HAD SOMEONE THAT WOULD TAG ALONG?"

“NO AND NO.” That hurt. He was still alone. Sans took a deep breath. He’d always been alone. He was fine. He ignored the ache in his soul.

The bitty listened carefully to the phone call and resolved to do something. He looked at the trap just under the edge of the bed and set it off before popping the whole thing back to his little lair. He could make something out of this! Maybe that would make the large monster happier?

"OH, DID YOU NOT STOP BY THE BITTY SHOP?"

Sans quickly looked under the bed at the sound of the trap going off and frowned at seeing it missing. “I DID.”

"AND THEY DID NOT HAVE ANYONE YOU WERE INTERESTED IN?"

“NO,” Sans lied, unwilling to admit to being thrown out.

"A SHAME, I KNOW A FEW OTHER PLACES WITH MORE...SPECIALTY FARE IF YOU WOULD PREFER. THERE'S ONE THAT DEALS IN AQUATICS!"

“AQUATICS YOU SAY?”

"YES! THEY SELL TANKS AND A VARIETY OF SEA LIFE MIXED BITTIES."

“SOUNDS INTERESTING.”

"I'LL FORWARD THE ADDRESS TO YOU! WE'LL MISS YOU TOMORROW!"

“FAREWELL.” Sans hung up and contemplated the empty space under his bed. He was going to need tougher traps.

The bitty was now snatching random traps that had been left around to dismantle and rebuild something much more... effective. Once he did snap his arm decently- and he took a few fibers out of his shirt shredding a glue trap. The end would be worth it though! It would have to be!

Sans checked his traps with a thoughtful expression, mentally thinking of how to make something more hardy. Perhaps a miniaturized version of the security traps he used?

It took a few days, and some fanigaling...but he got... Well, almost a mini obstacle course built out of various trap parts. He grinned, he could leave it on the table! He had been there now, since the large monster (Black the phone people called him), but he didn't really like that, was so routine. He would bide his time, wait for night and sneak it while he had the stretch of sleeping time.

Sans had not been idle while the days passed. The traps had been replaced with ones better camouflaged, some of them with magic wired into them. And still he was catching nothing. Sans glared at his baited trap. The fact he was using a trap as bait did not escape him.

The bitty was tempted, oh so tempted. But the big one was watching. He wanted his surprise to be just that, a surprise. And maybe to be liked so he could possibly get close again. The smell was starting to wear off the scarf he had stolen, but he hadn't gotten another chance to pilfer a used one. So he waited, watching as the big one did the same.

Sans waited all night, before he had to accept that it wouldn't come out while he was watching. He went to get breakfast.

The bitty nodded to himself and mustered up the energy to pop the modified trap up to the table while the larger monster's back was turned. He didn't expect to have been up for so long waiting though, and found he wasn't entirely capable of popping back off the table, in a moment of panic he scrabbled for the edge.  
  


* * *

Sans heard the noise and rushed back into the living room. "AHA!" He stared in surprise at the bitty. Really? How did one get here? Nevermind, it was intruding!

He dropped down holding onto the edge of the table, then swung off to the floor. Something cracked, but he didn't have time to stop just yet so he scrabbled again, stumbling now, for a spot underneath something so he could hide until he gathered enough energy to pop back to the nest.

Sans watched him run, before seizing the bitty with blue magic and pulling him over to him. "WELL WELL. SO THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN STEALING MY TRAPS."

He squeaked a bit when the magic took hold, but oh that was actually kind of nice in a twisted way. He looked at the larger monster, "Maybe?"

Sans grabbed the bitty and squeezed slightly so it was uncomfortable. "JUST MAYBE?"

"Um...you don't have rats?" He replied, helpless to even squirm at this point. He shuddered though, this was the most contact he'd had in some time, and despite being threatening (maybe even because it was?) he relished it.

Sans basked in the fact he was touching someone else. Sure it was rather violent, but it wasn't like he knew how to be gentle. "GOOD TO HEAR. AND WHAT'S THIS ON MY TABLE?" Sans carried the bitty with him over to examine the trap contraption.

"Um...it doesn't have a name?" The bitty replied relaxing just the smallest bit in the hold.

"AND WHAT IS IT SUPPOSED TO DO? BE ANOTHER TRAP?"

The tiny skull nodded, "A little different..."

"HOW SO?" Sans prodded at it.

The bitty shrugged as best he could, come on think what was a good part? "Stick to it if you're not careful."

"I SEE." He grinned and promptly decided to stick the bitty to it.

It whined at him, gross; and now his clothes were going to be in tatters. He tried to wiggle out, managing to get out of the shirt with a bit of contorting and pulling himself around the pieces of the trap. Though he wasn't doing as great wiggling out of the pants.

Sans grinned at him. "WHAT AN INTERESTING THING YOU ARE. INVADING MY HOME, STEALING MY TRAPS, PLACING A GIANT ONE ON MY TABLE. AND NOW YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST TO SQUIRM FREE EVEN AFTER BEING CAUGHT."

He paused looking up at the large monster, "You gonna take me back?"

Sans grinned baring his fangs. "NO. YOU'RE MINE NOW."

Oh!

He grinned back, "Thank you!"

Thanks? Confusion washed through Sans, quickly drowned out by steely determination to have control as always. "DON'T THANK ME SO QUICKLY. I AM NOT EASILY PLEASED."

"I can try though..." he replied frowning, "I just...you're so cool."

Cool? No one had ever called him that before! Sans found himself preening before he managed to stop himself. "I AM MALEVOLENT AND MALICIOUS."

M words, he could work with that! "Sure M'lord, whatever you say."

Lord? Sans preened even more at that. This bitty was very acceptable. So submissive and accepting of what Sans did. "EXACTLY." Sans reached out and tapped the bitty's head before sitting down to watch him struggle.

The tap to his skull was unexpected, he blinked hazy-eyed up at the larger monster and renewed his wiggling to get out of the stuck pants.

He didn't have extra clothes- that hadn't occurred to him when he had first been stuck to the trap. But now that he had wiggled free- he scrabbled off the trap and stopped on the table. One leg was fractured from the fall off the table earlier, he probably shouldn't shed dust on the table, his lord liked clean...but he didn't have a way to stop it.

Sans studied him. "COMPLETELY NAKED. HOW SHAMEFUL," he mocked.

The bitty tilted his skull, "Why?"

Sans blinked. "YOU ARE EXPOSED."

"And?" He looked at himself, "Cause of the leg?"

Sans studied the bitty’s leg and noted the damage. He smirked and carefully hooked a claw into the crack.

He hissed under his breath and then let out a little happy noise.

“YOU ARE A STRANGE CREATURE.” Someone that enjoyed pain? That really suited him. Sans scooped the bitty up and deposited it on his lap.

The bitty startled when he was picked up, but curled up in the crook of the larger monster's hip.

“WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A BITTY?” Sans poked it.

The tiny monster clung onto the finger, "Dunno, what do you do with an owner?"

Sans shook the bitty off. “I’D KILL ANYTHING THAT DARED TO CLAIM ME.”

It chuckled, "Should I kill you then?"

Sans’ magic spiked with deadly intent and he pressed down on the bitty threatening to break its spine. “TRY.”

He shuddered at the strong intent squirming, "Don't want to." He liked this monster.

“GOOD.” Sans relaxed, his magic returning to guarded and hostile rather than outright violent.

The bitty pressed back into his spot along the curve of hip and settled there a quiet purr starting up.

What an odd creature. Sans didn’t know what to think. He hadn’t been soft, or even particularly welcoming. And yet the thing liked him. It felt...good? Sans sat there watching the bitty.

Eventually he started dozing. Not sleeping, and little contact for so long had tuckered him out.

Did this actually happen? Did this little thing actually trust him enough to sleep on him? Despite everything? Sans stared at the tiny thing in awe. Already he knew he'd do anything for this bitty, as long as the acceptance remained. He would need to be cautious of course, not be used, but Sans wanted this.

It started as it slipped sideways a bit, sitting back up straight. "'M up!"

Sans snorted. "NO YOU'RE NOT." He pushed the little thing so it was laying down.

He protested a bit, "Can't sleep here...gotta go back-" oh yeah...he maybe should apologize for stealing the scarf he used to sleep in.

"BACK WHERE?" Here's something he hadn't expected. A chance to see where the bitty had been hiding. "I'LL TAKE YOU THERE." And then probably dismantle it, or set up a cage to stick the bitty in.

It gave him a curious look, "The room with the stuff..."

Sans stuffed the bitty into a pocket in his pants and headed to his junk room. "AROUND HERE, HM?" He started digging through looking for the nest.

The bitty wiggled free from the pocket and scrabbled into the heap. He could lead the way.

Sans quickly destroyed anything that would stop him from being able to track the bitty magic burning as he tore through following him.

Well, that was one way to do it. The bitty stopped in front of half an old carrier. The bottom and door had been separated at some point leaving only the plastic top on the floor. He had lulled in an old shoe insole and the scarf to sleep with. The rest was littered with scraps from the tinkering to make parts of the trap.

"SO THIS IS HOW YOU'VE MANAGED TO STAY HIDDEN." Sans' eyelights narrowed. "IS THAT MY SCARF?"

The bitty ducked his head and nodded, "Sorry, but it smelled like you and you took it off so..."

"YOU WANT TO SLEEP WITH SOMETHING IMPRINTED FROM ME."

What did that mean? He cocked his head and peered up, "Maybe?"

"MM." Sans smirked at the bitty before picking him up again. He pulled together some pieces and built a rough makeshift cage before sticking the bitty inside. He grabbed the scarf and put it in before carrying the cage to his room. "THERE."

The bitty watched as they moved, when Sans set the cage down he tilted his head and held onto the corner of a scarf, "Um...could we trade?"

"TRADE?" Sans laughed. "YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU THINK YOU COULD TRADE ME?"

It tilted again, "Just the cloth, this one's smell is older...faint."

Sans took the scarf, and burned his magic into it. It was a little caustic, and the scarf didn't hold it very well, but a fresh imprint of Sans was put into it. He held it out again.

The bitty took it back carefully. He inspected it for a moment before rolling himself back up in it and settling into the corner. "Thanks M'lord."

"YOU'RE WELCOME." He would need to come up with something other than "pest" to call it. Sans sat down on his bed and watched the bitty until he finally curled up himself to rest.  
The bitty woke up at some point in the evening. He rubbed at an eye socket and looked over to the sleeping larger monster. He shivered slightly and popped over to curl up tucked against the larger Monster's neck.


	2. Stray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our little friend gets a name! And an invitation.

Sans didn't notice the bitty's presence immediately when he woke up. He headed to the bathroom to shower and paused catching a glimpse of the little lump in the mirror. "BITTY."

The small thing cuddled into him with a tired noise, he didn't want to get up.

Sans poked the bitty roughly. "HEY."

He startled at the poke, "Hhhmmm?"

"I'M SHOWERING."

"Mkay." He could deal with a little water.

He was not budging, was he? Sans grinned wickedly. The bitty would see how comfortable he was when he was washed away. Sans stepped over and turned on the water, making sure it was nice and hot. Hot showers were one of the few true luxuries he allowed himself. He started the shower and began stripping.The bitty hummed and clung to the bigger monster's neck as he moved to strip his clothes. Bone on bone was nice. He dozed back off a bit as steam started to fill the room from the shower.

Sans entered the shower and started scrubbing, his movement mixed with the water making staying on difficult. The bitty yelped as the scrubbing dislodged him. He slipped down, scrabbling at the ribs to keep from falling completely off. Sans yelped at the touch on his ribs swiping harshly at the tiny body.The bitty popped out of the way to the bottom of the tub panting and trying not to slip on suds.

Sans smirked at the bitty and nudged him with his foot. The bitty blinked orange eye-lights up at him once he had regained his footing. He pouted, "Could have just put me back in the thing."

"THIS WAS MORE AMUSING."

The bitty stuck his little conjured tongue out at the larger skeleton and sat down to splash in the shallow pool of water beside the drain. Sans let out a rusty chuckle. It had been a long time since something had amused him like this. He finished washing up and stepped out to towel off, carefully drying the deep cracks in his skull.The bitty used magic to stop the water and popped out of the tub to follow along behind the bigger monster.

“GONNA SHADOW ME TINY?”

"Is that my name?"

“I WAS THINKING PEST.” Sans grinned.

He huffed crossing his tiny arms, "Can you make up your mind?"

"STRAY." Sans looked at the bitty. "YOUR NAME IS STRAY."

He tilted his head (eyeing the larger monster as he dressed) and repeated it, ok he could live with that. "Been following you off and on the entire time. Why don't you ever go to see the phone guy?"

Sans snarled and bristled. "WHY WOULD I?"

The bitty cocked a hip, "Why would you not?"

"HE COULD BE PLANNING TO KILL ME."

"You wouldn't let him." The bitty insisted firmly.

Sans grinned. "TRUE. I ALSO HAVE NO REASON TO MEET WITH HIM."

"Why not? He has your phone number. Why would you have given him the number if you wouldn't need to reach him eventually?"

"THAT IS SO THEY CAN TRACK ME TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT OVERLY DESTRUCTIVE," Sans snarled.

"Then why do you still have the phone?"

"AS LONG AS I HAVE THE PHONE AND KEEP IN CONTACT THEY LEAVE ME ALONE."

"So you don't have anyone you talk to?"

"TALK TO? ABOUT WHAT? I BUY MY OWN FOOD AND SUPPLIES FOR MY HOME."

"Just fun stuff! You know, something you like to do?"

Sans stared at Stray blankly. Stray blinked back at him, "You need to get out more."

  
  


"I GET OUT LOTS. I'LL SHOW YOU." Sans picked up Stray and grabbed the cage. He put Stray in the cage before heading into the yard and putting it down. He then summoned his bullets, and began to show off beautiful, elaborate, _lethal_ bullet patterns. He moved through them wielding his hammer.

Stray watched for a bit, then popped from the cage to his shoulder, "This is _not_ what I meant, and I think a part of you knows that."

Sans startled hard, running into his own bullets. He winced as one of the bones in his arm cracked slightly. Turning his head he glared at Stray. “THEN WHAT DID YOU MEAN?”

"I mean you need to have some friends."

“WHAT DO YOU DO WITH FRIENDS?”

"Dunno what bigs do. I'm not your size." the bitty smarted back.

Sans snorted. "FRIENDS PROBABLY DON'T DO ANYTHING USEFUL."

"I don't know. I'd call you a friend."

"AND WHAT HAVE I DONE FOR YOU THAT'S USEFUL?" Sans mocked. He headed for the house to get the bandages for his arm.

The bitty swung his feet, "You let me stay. You gave me a name, a spot to be."

"BEING A FRIEND IS THAT SIMPLE?" Sans ignored the warmth that stirred in him as he dug through his drawers. He pulled out the bandages and wrapped his arm to let the magic do its work.

"Guess so!"

"HM." Sans peered at the tiny bitty. This really wasn't so bad. "DON'T JUMP ON ME WHILE I'M TRAINING."

"Haven't jumped since the table." He argued.

Sans grabbed Stray and squeezed. "DON'T LAND ON ME WHILE I'M TRAINING."

He shuddered at the pressure and nodded, "Alright fine."

Sans loosened his hold and put Stray back on his shoulder. Then he paused, finding himself struggling with what to do next. He couldn't safely train with the bitty on his shoulder.

"Somethin' wrong?"

"JUST DECIDING WHAT TO DO NOW."

"Watch a movie?"

Sans turned that over slowly. "IS THERE A BENEFIT TO THAT?"

"They're entertaining?"

Sans isn't an idiot. He knows what entertainment is. He's seen people waste their time indulging in it. Yet somehow in this moment it feels like the word has never entered his life before. "FINE." He turned on the tv for the first time since getting the house, and looked for something that didn't look too painful to watch. He settled on a cooking show. The tension and violence felt familiar, if directed in unfamiliar ways. Stray hummed and slid down from the shoulder to hang half inside Sans' shirt. folding his arms over the collar to help keep in place as he settled to watch the show. Huh, food...when was the last time he had eaten anything?

The show finished and Sans contemplated what he had seen. The best way to make use of it, as he figured, would be to make something. He stood up, and noticed where Stray had moved to. "REALLY?"

The bitty clung to the shirt and settled a tiny bare heel against a rib to keep in place, "What?"

"YOU'RE GOING TO FALL IN THERE AND I WON'T RESCUE YOU," Sans informed him. He headed to the kitchen and paused. Basic meals were fine. Something like what they'd just watched seemed beyond him. No. He wouldn't think that way. He could do anything he chose! Sans grit his teeth together and started looking through the kitchen. Pasta looked simple to start with. He'd make alfredo pasta.

"Who says I'd wanna be rescued?" The bitty purred back, happily moving to stay balanced between the shirt and monster as the movement swayed him.

"YOU ARE RIDICULOUS." Sans moved through the kitchen pulling out ingredients. He had to actually look up a recipe, and his movements were slow, but he had water set to boil and had found some noodles.

Stray shrugged, "And you're a little extra, but we won't go shouting it from the rooftops."

"WHAT?" Sans scowled, sadly unable to swipe at Stray with the perch the bitty's chosen. "I AM NOT!"

"You are, and it's awesome." He quipped back. "You have this sharp aura and it's-" well he didn't know what to call it, it wasn't comforting per say... but it was enjoyable!

Sans sniffed. "THAT'S NOT BEING EXTRA. THAT'S JUST ME!"

The bitty sniffed back, "Have you ever noticed anyone else with that much...whatever it is?"

"YES. THE QUEEN."

"Ok but the typical person? Not a comparison."

Sans smirked. "GUESS THAT MEANS I'M ABOVE THEM."

"Told ya, _extra_." The bitty smirked.

Sans laughed in amusement. That was certainly not something he'd ever thought of himself. It was a fun thought, the idea of being above.

Stray tilted his skull back to look up at Sans, "Like that do you?"

"YES." Sans grinned at Stray.

The bitty grinned back leaning against Sans' sternum, "Good."

Sans let out a purr so silent it was more simply a vibration than anything else. It stopped and he continued to work on the pasta. Stray felt rather than heard the purr. He grinned a little wider and unhooked one hand from the shirt to pat at Sans' clavicle.

Sans finished off his pasta and carefully put some aside with sauce for Stray. He put the bitty down and dug in. Hm. This did not taste as good as what had been demonstrated. It actually tasted a little flat. He frowned in thought.

Stray picked up a piece of the food and nibbled on it, testing. It was fine, so he continued to take tiny bites and keep an eye on the bigger monster, "What?"

"IT ISN'T VERY GOOD."

"It's fine, edible. How often you actually cook?"

Sans shrugged.

"Bet you'd get better if you kept doing it."

Sans nodded. "I'LL WORK ON IT."

Stray nodded and picked up a second noodle, not that he really wanted it, but he knew he should eat or his magic could go all weird.

Sans finished his meal and studied Stray. Who was naked. And now had noodle sauce on him. "YOU'RE WASHING BEFORE YOU TOUCH ME."

Stray blinked at him with a tiny smirk, "Scared it'll stain you?"

"UGH GROSS. NO I JUST DON'T WANT IT ON ME."

"Aw come on, a little mess won't hurt."

"IT'S STILL GROSS."

Stray laughed and flopped onto the little pile of noodles, effectively soaking himself in sauce, "It's fine."

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Oh that was so gross, the sauce was just seeping through all the gaps and through everything and Sans didn't even want to think about how that'd be dripping everywhere.

He laughed at the looks of abject horror on the larger monster's face, "Mmmm swimmin?"

“THAT IS NASTY!” Sans stood up and turned around to start cleaning so he wouldn’t have to see the abomination being committed on his table.

The bitty laughed, "Hey M'lord? Can you move me to the sink?"

“MOVE YOURSELF THERE.”

The bitty pouted, "Why? You could do it."

"I DON'T WANT TO TOUCH YOU."

Stray pouted, "Fine." He rolled over to stand up and walked to the edge of the table, sliding down a leg to the floor. Then he traipsed across the floor until he got to the base of the sink and popped up to the side (all the while leaving little saucy footprints behind).

Sans shrieked and rushed over. "NO!" He quickly cleaned up the messy disgusting trail that Stray had left behind, and turned to glower at the bitty. "BATH TIME." He turned on the water, made sure it was hot, grabbed some soap, and then viciously began to scrub the bitty. He made sure to get everywhere, including scraping his finger up between Stray's ribs.

Stray yelped at the sudden scrubbing, the entire experience being more stimulus than he had likely ever received at a time. He flailed with uncertainty before laxing in the water staring up at Sans. Hu, it wasn't actually that bad; kinda hurt, but it left a tingly feeling behind...

Sans carefully looked Stray over, satisfied that the bitty had stopped struggling. "THERE." He did another careful wash over Stray before grinning. "NOW YOU'RE DECENT."

The bitty shook himself, still slightly dazed, what was this sensation? He liked it, so maybe...hhhmmm...

"Okay. What now?"

"NOW WE FIND SOMETHING FOR YOU TO WEAR SO I DON'T HAVE TO STARE AT YOUR BARE SACRUM ALL DAY."

Stray looked himself over, "I thought I was built pretty well."

"YOUR FORM IS ACCEPTABLE. IT'S JUST NAKED."

"So?"

"SO IT IS NOT CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE TO PARADE AROUND IN PUBLIC NAKED UNLESS ENGAGING IN SEXUAL BEHAVIORS."

The bitty tilted his head, "This is home though...we going somewhere?"

"YES." Sans didn't often leave, but he felt he needed to actually get proper supplies for his bitty now.

Stray shrugged, "Don't have clothes."

"YOU DID COMPLETELY RUIN THEM," Sans agreed.

Stray hummed to himself, "Guess I'll have to go as is."

"OR YOU COULD STAY HOME IF YOU WON'T WEAR CLOTHES."

"I would if I had any." He shrugged again, "Could stay in a pocket."

“I DON’T THINK SO.” Sans left the kitchen and headed to his room. He had some experience in creating things thanks to building his armor and repairing things. He should be able to whip up a dress for the bitty.

Stray opted to stay in the kitchen, now curious. He climbed over to the knife block, and managed to (not incredibly carefully) dislodge one from its place to clatter on the counter. He tested the blade by running a finger pad over the edge. hu yeah same tingly hot/cold feeling. Interesting

Sans returned after a time with a dress and held it out proudly to Stray. It was very simplistic but it would work.

Stray peered up from where he had been messing with the blade of the knife still. "You just had that?"

“NO I-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

The bitty tilted his skull, "So you made it?" He looked at the knife, "Experimenting."

“I DID. AND EXPERIMENTING WITH WHAT?”

The bitty abandoned the knife to take hold of the dress carefully. He hugged it, "Uh...touch?"

Sans picked up the knife, checked it over, cleaned it, and put it back. “GET YOUR DRESS ON SO WE CAN GO.”

Stray nodded and wiggled into the fabric, "Where we goin'?"

“TO FETCH SUPPLIES. YOU NEED MORE THAN ONE OUTFIT.” He would buy more groceries so he could experiment with recipes too, and see if he could find ways for Stray to entertain him with things.

The bitty nodded and popped back up onto his shoulder, only to slip down to ride on the front again.

Sans picked him up and put him back on his shoulder. Then he started securing his armor.

Stray pouted, "Aw the other spot is better."

“THE OTHER SPOT ADVERTISES VULNERABILITY.”

"I could cover it." He huffed.

“YOU?” Sans laughed.

The bitty nodded and summoned a sharp bone, tapping it against the larger monster's cheek.

Sans hissed, uncomfortable at the display of power where he as thought there was no threat.

Stray dropped the little bone and curled against Sans' neck, "Told ya."

Sans was torn. On the one hand, the tiny thing could hurt him. On the other he enjoyed the touch and had given the bitty plenty of opportunities if he wanted to hurt him. Sans was unsure how to deal with that.

The bitty nuzzled its face against his neck, "Where we going?"

Sans twitched a little and calmed. “GROCERY STORE, AND THEN A BITTY SHOP THAT SELLS EXOTICS.”

"Exotics?"

"AQUATIC BITTIES. THE _PHONE PERSON_ , AS YOU CALL THEM, WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SUGGEST I STOP THERE SINCE I COULDN'T GET A BITTY FROM THE FIRST PLACE." Sans smirked. He wouldn't really get another bitty. He just wanted to see what items they had.

"Wouldn't that require a big ass tank?" He quipped.

“WHO KNOWS.”

The bitty slouched down carefully leaning against his neck, tiny claws gripping into the space between bones, "Sounds like a giant mess to me."

Sans grinned. "VERY CHAOTIC AND MESSY." He headed down the street. "KEEP AN EYE OUT."

"For?"

"THREATS."

"Just...out here?"

"OF COURSE."

"People really do that?"

"HURT EACH OTHER? OF COURSE. TRY TO HUMILIATE AND KILL EACH OTHER? ALSO HAPPENS."

The bitty sat back up carefully clamoring onto his feet, "Well then...you watch the front I'll keep track of the back."

Sans nodded. He didn't know how good Stray would be at keeping an eye out, but another set of eyes would be nice.

Stray settled himself to stand on San's shoulder facing behind the larger monster. He kept one hand on a vertebra to keep himself steady.

This was very different. Sans felt himself moving with slightly more confidence than before through the streets. He only snarled at a couple humans who dared to get too close before they reached the store. Which was closed. Sans snarled again, more widely dispersed this time. He could sense the scared monsters inside.

"M'lord?" He was awfully tense suddenly.

"THEY'RE HIDING FROM ME."

"Then they don't deserve you."

That was a new perspective. Sans looked at Stray in surprise and let out a short bark of laughter. "PERHAPS."

"No perhaps about it. If they aren't coming to you they don't deserve you."

Sans grinned. "YOU REALLY THINK THAT."

"Wouldn't say it otherwise."

Sans definitely appreciated this bitty. He may not have picked him out, but Stray knew exactly how to squirm into Sans' tiny black soul. Sans relaxed and walked away. "WE'LL FIND WHAT I WANT ELSEWHERE."

"Course we will." He nodded and leaned his tiny skull against Sans'.

It took some looking to find a bitty supply shop. Sans entered and began browsing through the clothes picking out items he thought were suitably fashionable and protective.

Stray let him do as he pleased and only pointed out a few things that were horribly gaudy or colored brightly to excess. The only thing he really seemed to be incredibly enthusiastic about was a jacket.

“REALLY? THAT JACKET?”

The bitty shrugged, "It's big."

Sans considered arguing, but decided it was pointless, and headed over to bitty accessories instead.

Stray looked at him, "What all are you after?"

"ENTERTAINMENT." He poked at one of the tiny bitty playground pieces. Sadly not what he was looking for.

Stray just hummed, "Am I Not Entertaining?"

"EXTREMELY SO."

"Then why worry about entertainment?"

"BECAUSE IT WOULD BE AMUSING TO FORCE YOU THROUGH THINGS."

The bitty laughed, surprisingly loud, "Because I wouldn't listen to anything you say?"

A shopkeeper walked over and smiled. “Hey. How are you two?”

Sans immediately snapped his guard up. “FINE.”

"We're good, just looking around." Stray grinned widely patting Sans.

“You’re sweet. What’s your name?”

"Stray, only thing he can yell I'd never do." He shot back, grin going a little crooked.

Sans grinned at his bitty.

“That’s a name. Did you come from a center? Do you need help finding things?”

"Kinda? Wasn't so happy there, M'lords heaps better! We can find things can't we M'lord?" Stray beamed back at the worker.

“OF COURSE! WE HAVE BRAINS.”

Stray patted him again, "Play nice, she's trying to do her job."

Sans snorted and lifted a hand to flick Stray’s head.

Stray rumbled a loud purr at the flick and pressed himself to the larger monster.

The shopkeeper looked puzzled. "Well, if you're sure you don't need anything."

"WE DON'T."

"We'll give ya a shout if we do sweetheart." Stray replied.

"SWEETHEART?"

"People like it when you talk nice. Don't you M'lord?"

"YOU ARE VERY GOOD AT FLATTERY."

"Really?"

"MHM." Sans grinned. "SO EAGER TO PLEASE AND SUCK UP TO OTHERS."

"Just one in particular, really." Stray shrugged.

"REALLY." Sans hummed, a little pleased by that if not believing it.

Stray grinned shifting himself and nuzzling his face on Sans' cheek, "Would I Iie to you?"

"PERHAPS." Sans walked with him through the store, and ended up leaving it. A toy store might have more what he was looking for in small building components.

"NO!" the bitty scolded, "I would not!"

Sans flinched. "HEY!" He didn't have to yell!

"Hey yourself telling me I would lie to you." The bitty replied huffily.

Sans decided to ignore that and kept walking.Stray fumed a bit, but went back to his post keeping watch behind Sans.

  
  
  
  


Sans had to admit, this trip was going very satisfactorily. He bought plenty of groceries, and found some new things to try. He found a small electronics kit he could use and a building set too, which he purchased. He hadn't felt as much pressure as usual when out and about as well. Sans was almost cheerful when they got back home.

Stray popped over to the table and flopped down to lay on it.

"DONE ALREADY?"

"Did you need me to do something else?"

Sans snorted. "NO, JUST AMUSED HOW TIRED YOU ARE FROM A SHORT TRIP."

"It's easier for you, you're huge!"

"AND YOU DID ZERO WALKING." Sans crossed the room to poke the tiny thing.

Stray laughed, "Naps are good though! You should sleep with me."

"YOU THINK I COULD ACTUALLY SLEEP SO EARLY?"

"I think you could if you tried." Stray challenged. 

Sans shook his head and headed to the kitchen to put away the groceries. Trying to figure out how to organize them in his fridge and pantry took some thought. He wasn't quite sure how to do it. Stray lounged on the table, sprawling his tiny self out.Sans came back in and checked on the bitty, he kind of felt like he should be doing something with Stray there. He just wasn't sure what. He paced in the room.

Stray sighed and popped back onto Sans' shoulder, "Alright, to the couch."

"YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT TO DO?"

"I dare make a suggestion." He fired back.

"HA!" What a bold critter! Sans picked him up into his hands, but did indeed deign to sit on the couch to see what the little thing would try to do next. Stray grinned widely up at Sans and hopped down the drag the remote over, "Do something other than pace around. Relax."

Sans picked up Stray by his arms and held him dangling in the air. "I COULD EAT YOU."

"Isn't there a fetish online for that?" He smirked.

It took a moment for that to actually register. Then Sans dropped the bitty in disgust and laid down on the couch to let himself more properly ignore the other.

Stray cackled in glee at the face and nabbed the remote back over again to turn on the tv. He found a random channel that didn't seem too boring and climbed back up to snuggle down on Sans who opened his eyes to glare at him.

Stray tilted his head, "What?"

"YOU'RE JUST GOING TO SIT THERE AREN'T YOU?"

"Did you want something else from me?"

Sans snorted and closed his eyes. This was fine. Really weird, but not something he had to deal with. It wasn't bad. The bitty grinned and stretched out pillowing his head on his arms, this was the best.

  
  
  
  
  


Sans found himself snapping alert and flailing in an unfamiliar space. He immediately flared out his magic threateningly as he oriented himself. The couch? What was he doing on the couch? Why was it dark? Had he...had he actually fallen asleep? Stray jerked up onto hands and knees, "What!?!"

"WHAT TIME IS IT?"

"Uuummm dark?"

Sans snorted. "I MUST HAVE MEDITATED FOR LONGER THAN I PLANNED," he lied.

Stray chuckled, "Up now."

"YES. I SHOULD..." He couldn't train outside. It was too dark. Sans growled a little. What then? Wait, he could study. There was plenty to learn about how humans worked. "I SHOULD STUDY."

"You smart?" the small skeleton asked, "What you gonna look over?"

"HUMAN LAWS. I NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEM IF I AM TO DEFEND MYSELF AGAINST THEM."

"That's a great idea. Aren't lawyers supposed to be scary? You could do that."

"TERRIFY THE HUMANS WITH THEIR OWN LAWS HM?" Sans grinned. He liked the sound of that.

Stray nodded and grinned back, "If anyone could do it you could!"

Sans felt himself puff up a little. “DEFINITELY!”

Stray plopped back down on his shoulder and looped a leg around his neck so he could lay down without feeling like he would fall.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" It was very faint, but he could feel the touch around his neck.

"Relaxing." The bitty replied, tucking his hands behind his head.

"AND THAT INVOLVES TOUCHING MY NECK?"

"Just hooked around to keep balance. Ain't gonna hurt you... don't think I really could."

Sans snorted. "AS IF YOU WOULD."

Did he really say that? "Ouch, call me out why don't you."

Sans snickered and brushed Stray briefly before settling down with his book.

Stray purred loudly and stayed nestled along the larger skeleton’s shoulder.

That was really comforting. It actually settled Sans enough that after a few hours he went to bed and curled up, falling asleep with an ease he didn’t remember ever having. Stray carefully squirmed his way down to wedge just beside Sans' ribs gripping onto one like some might a stuffed animal or body pillow before drifting back off himself.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Sans had been working on building what would be a very amusing obstacle course to force Stray through when his phone rang. It was perhaps for the best, considering how much he'd had to re-scrap stuff. He answered the phone. "SANS HERE."

"HELLO, ONE HERE TO!" Blue joked, "I WAS CALLING TO SEE IF YOU WANTED TO COME ON ALONG TO GAME NIGHT?"

“GAME NIGHT?” Sans mused. He glanced at Stray and grinned. “SOUNDS LIKE A WAY TO PASS THE TIME.”

"I WAS U- WAIT YOU'LL COME!?" he replied excitedly, Sans could practically feel the bounce through the phone. "OH THIS IS GREAT! I'LL MAKE SURE THERE ARE PLENTY OF SUITABLE SNACKS AND SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE TRICKY TO PLAY THEN!"

"GOOD. I HOPE IT MEASURES UP TO THE HYPE."

"MWEHEHEHE, OF COURSE IT WILL!"

Sans grinned and turned to Stray. "IT SEEMS WE HAVE AN OUTING TONIGHT."

Stray looked up from where he was twisting wires around in an old phone he had found in the junk room, "Hm?" 

There was a pause on the phone, "WE?"

"WE." Sans smirked.

"OH ANOTHER FRIEND! WHAT IS THEIR PREFERENCE OF THINGS?"

"THE HIGHEST QUALITY."

"WELL OF COURSE, BUT SWEET? SALTY?"

Sans considered that. "SALTY."

Blue scribbled down the preference on a notebook, the scratching of the ink on pad barely audible through the phone receiver. 

"NATURALLY HMMM?" the bubbly skeleton teased, "ALRIGHT LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU WHEN YOU GET HERE!"

“SEE YOU THEN.” Sans hung up.

Stray started to get up and found he was too tangled in the wires, he whined. Sans laughed and poked the bitty. “YOU JUST HAD TO PLAY THERE DIDN’T YOU.”

He pouted, "I got it to turn on for a few seconds, then I lost the connection."

“DID YOU?” Sans leaned over and began to untangle him. “HOW DID YOU DO THAT?” He really had gotten the best bitty. So clever!

He shrugged, "I just kept twisting. All of them gotta go somewhere." He wiggled free after a few seconds, "It's fun!"

“I SHOULD PUT YOU TO WORK HELPING ME TRAP THE HOUSE.”

He blinked excited eye-lights up at the bigger monster, "I could do that! Get the small spaces you can't reach."

“CLEVER BOY.” Sans petted Stray, who grinned and latched onto the hand petting him.

Sans lifted his hand taking the bitty with him. "YOU'LL CERTAINLY MAKE AN IMPRESSION." He smirked. "ESPECIALLY ON THAT IDIOT DO GOODER."

"Do gooder?" He hooked a leg around Sans' ulna to hoist himself up.

"AN IDIOTIC VERSION OF ME WHO BELIEVES HIMSELF MY SUPERIOR."

Stray laughed, "So he's deluded?"

Sans laughed. "VERY MUCH SO."

"Guess he'll learn a bit." Stray replied inching his way up Sans' arm.Sans laid back and let him, watching Stray with an amused gaze. When it became apparent he wasn't going to move too much Stray tried standing up to walk the rest of the way, "So uh...know how to play games?"

"NO."

"Shoot, me either." He chuckled, making his way up the arm and hopping to San's sternum where he burrowed into his shirt.

Sans shifted. "YOU ARE VERY CUDDLY." Not that Sans minded that at all. The touches seemed to quiet a hunger he hadn't known could ever be filled.

"Yep." He grinned back, "Could go for the word touchy to."

Sans absently swatted at him. "YOU'RE LUCKY I'M SO TOLERANT."

"I am, also lucky you're quick to swat." He teased.

Sans put effort into swatting Stray that time. Stray hissed and pressed down flat against the sternum under him.

"YOU ARE A BRAT."

"Takes one to know one."

"WHAT?" Sans grabbed Stray that time to dangle in the air. "YOU DARE TO CALL ME A BRAT?"

"In the most idolatrous way possible."

"YOU INSULT ME FOR ACTING LIKE I HAVE EVER ACTED LIKE A BRAT." He'd fought for every scrap that he had.

Stray paused giving it thought, "Alright I'm sorry." He twisted a bit to lay his hands on the fingers holding him.

Sans paused. "UH, VERY WELL."

Stray grinned, "Gonna put me down?"

Sans nodded and lowered Stray, to the table.

Stray pouted,"Ousted, ouch."

"YOU'LL HAVE TO FIGHT YOUR WAY BACK TO WHAT YOU WANT."

He cocked his skull giving the larger monster puppy eyes.

"WHAT IS THAT?"

"May I have my spot back M'lord?" He asked quietly.

Oh. Oh no. He looked so sweet like that. And he was asking so nicely. Sans found himself unable to resist picking Stray up and putting him back on his shirt.

Stray grinned to himself and wiggled until he was snuggled down into his spot, tucked against Sans' sternum. Sans let out a very quiet purr and petted Stray. Stray let out a much louder purr practically vibrating in place. That felt so good. Sans curled up around Stray just petting him and gently purring back. He'd get back to working on the traps for Stray later. Stray kept still, perfectly content to soak up magic surrounding him and bask in the fact he had his own person.


	3. Game Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the gangs all here...and maybe that's not the best idea.

Sans checked again that his armor was properly secured. If he was going to see the other skeletons he had to be at his best, ready for anything. Stray had decided he was going to lay on the larger monster's shoulder again. This time wrapping an arm around the vertebra of Sans neck rather than a leg.

"READY?" Sans asked.

"As I'm gonna get." He quipped back.

"REMEMBER, BE ON GUARD. IF ANYTHING HAPPENS GET AS MUCH DISTANCE AS YOU CAN.

Stray frowned, "Why?"

"SO YOU'RE SAFE."

The frown on the bitty’s face deepened, "But that means leaving you?"

Sans grinned. "I CAN TAKE A HIT. YOU CAN'T."

"If I could?"

"THEN YOU WOULD FIGHT BESIDE ME. I NEED MY BACK UP. FOR NOW, YOU'RE BETTER RANGED."

Stray sighed, "Fine."

"GOOD." Sans headed out to the house the game night was hosted at. He was as prepared as he was going to get. He checked on Stray one last time before knocking on the door.

Stray curled his legs up in a similar fashion to human teen girls and listened to someone declaring the door was unlocked from the other side. He opened the door and walked in, bracing himself. He headed to a very comfortable looking living room.

  
  


Sans was slouched across the arm of the couch lazily shoving his fingers against buttons on a controller. Blue peered out of the kitchen, "OH, BLACK'S HERE! WHERE'S YO- OH A BITTY!"

"he actually got one?" Red looked up from where he'd been stuffing his mouth with nachos.

  
  


"RED MANNERS!" Blue snapped at him for talking while eating. 

Sans looked away from the screen to peer over, "Cool what's its name?" 

Papyrus burst out of the kitchen as well, "OH YOU FINALLY FOUND ONE!?"

Black did his best to suppress a flinch at the sudden charge in his direction. "I DID. IT'S NAME IS STRAY."

"nice." Red laughed.

Stray sat the rest of the way up, "Didn't the other short one just tell you to mind your manners?"

Black grinned. Honey actually sat up seeing that. Had he ever seen the other skeleton grin before? And not just bare his teeth?

"UNFORTUNATELY MY BROTHER'S AN INCURABLE IDIOT," Edge said dryly. He studied the bitty.

"Damn I didn't know people could make me look smart." The bitty quipped. Sans snorted a laugh at the conversation. 

"SANS IT IS RUDE TO LAUGH AT HUMOR THAT DEPENDS ON DEGRADING PEOPLE, NO MATTER HOW CORRECT IT MAY POSSIBLY BE."

"ouch." Red laid down. "even got the big softie digging in on me."

"you are an easy target," Honey pointed out.

"MY APOLOGIES RED, YOU DO HAVE A WAY OF ATTRACTING INCLINATIONS." Papyrus flushed. 

Blue grinned widely, "HE DOES, WE ALL KNOW SECRETLY HE'S SMART."

Stray relaxed a bit, these people didn't seem so threatening...well the sharp ones maybe a tiny bit...but at least Red was lazy enough seeming.

"NYEH HEH HEH! OF COURSE HE IS! HE'S MY BROTHER," Edge boasted. Red slunk down even further.

Black carefully made his way further in and leaned in on a wall watching everyone.

"good to meet you stray," Honey said softly.

Stray gave a cheeky wave, "I'd say same, but I haven't figured that out yet."

"don't worry, we're friendly," Honey said cheerfully.

Black disagreed, but didn't say anything. Stray just nodded and tucked a hand against his owner's neck.

"SO! LET'S GET STARTED SO I CAN DESTROY EVERYONE!" Edge cackled.

"WHAT INDICATION DO YOU HAVE THAT YOU ALONE WILL BE VICTORIOUS?" Papyrus replied as Blue turned to grab a large stack of games.

“what did you guys pick out?” Honey asked curiously. Edge pulled a face at Papyrus.

"I JUST GRABBED A FEW WE HAVE OTHERS IF WE NEED!" Blue replied plopping a pile of boxes on the table. There were a few board games, a couple of table tops and some other discs for the console hooked to the tv in case. Honey began to look through them a touch absently.

Edge studied them. "WE SHOULD PLAY SMASH BROS."

"Now  _ that _ you're only saying cause you think you can beat the champ." Sans replied with a lazy grin.

"OF COURSE I CAN!" Edge boasted.

Sans raised a brow, "Wanna put a wager on that bud?"

"nope," Red cut in. "i'm not risking my mustard."

Sans chuckled, "Coward, can't blame you though."

“I WILL BET ALL OF HIS MUSTARD.”

“bro, please,” Red begged.

Sans just laughed and pulled a ketchup bottle out of seemingly nowhere.

“let’s get to it then.” Honey set up the game and let Edge, Red, Sans, and Papyrus take the first round.

Papyrus accepted the controller with a loud proclamation of gratitude. Blue sighed at the betting, but leaned against the opposing wall from Black to watch the proceedings. Sans took the controller with a nod and a quiet grin. Black watched with confusion as the group proceeded to get really involved in a silly fight simulator that seemed to teach no useful skills.

"For someone who was so sure he'd win that guy is...very much losing." Stray muttered watching the game.

Black snorted. "He Hasn't Had As Much Time To Waste With These Frivolities As The Others."

"Maybe. Do you actually know or just think it cause he has an aura like yours?" the bitty questioned.

Black tilted his head. "He's Inexperienced In These Games, But I've Seen Him Fight. He's Trained And Killed Like Me."

"But you haven't talked to him about it?"

"NO." How could he admit that he hadn't been able to, to overcome with his need to fight the other?

Stray hummed and scratched lightly at his arm, "You guys cool?"

“No.” Black grabbed Stray. “What Are You Doing?” He studied the bitty curiously.

Stray tilted his head, "What?"

“I Heard Bone Scraping.”

"Oh, scratched."

How hadn’t he felt that? Black nodded and put Stray back. 

Edge growled as he was defeated and Honey began the last maneuvers to destroy Papyrus.

  
  


Papyrus squawked as his character failed, but grinned widely, "THAT WAS QUITE A CHALLENGE!"

"glad you thought so." Honey grinned at him.

"YOU PLAY WELL!"

"thanks." Honey tried to concentrate on fighting Sans.

Black shifted. Maybe he shouldn't have come.

"Wanna play something? There's not button games." Stray questioned eyeing the boxes.

Black considered it. "COULD YOU RETRIEVE ONE SAFELY?"

The bitty nodded popping over to the table to look at the different boxes.

Black tensed watching the other skeletons. Honey completely lost focus under the violent feel of the other’s magic. The bitty snapped his attention to Black with a wide eyed dazed expression. He nabbed the nearest box not even looking and popped back to tuck himself against Black's neck. Black relaxed, keeping up his guard as Edge responded with his own sharpened intent.

The bitty shivered and looked down at the game in its hands something called Outrage. He shrugged and plopped the box into Black's hands. Black studied the game. Slowly Edge relaxed and his own magic eased. He turned back to the games.

“This Looks Interesting.”

Stray hummed, "What's the rules?"

“Hm. It Seems We Compete To Steal Jewels.” Why?

Stray snickered, "Cool."

“What Would You Do With Jewels? You Live In A Trash Heap.”

Red sprayed his drink, surprised by what he heard.

Stray huffed, "Hey I make stuff with that junk."

“Very Interesting Stuff Too.”

"Besides I haven't been sleeping there since you found me." He shrugged. He much preferred sneaking over to snuggle up with the larger monster.

“HMPH.” Black refused to acknowledge that fact. He had a cage set up for the bitty. Clearly he slept there and not curled up in his ribs.

Stray purred curling against Black's neck, "So we gonna play?"

Black hesitated. It would be easy enough to play, but what if he dropped his guard? No. He was the Malevolent Sans. He could multitask, easily. He'd played cards before to win gold and escaped without dying. Those days of having to gamble were long in his past, but he could still split his focus. He carefully knelt down and set up the board.

  
  


Stray slipped down the larger monster's arm to look closer at the board.

"Ready to try?" Stray nodded looking at the card piles.

Black started the game. He was slow, thoughtful, and methodical, moving to win. He didn't much care for the chance element the cards and dice added, but he would find ways to tip the scales in his favor.

Stray was just as happy to roll the random. He didn't intend to win the game anyhow.

“And That’s The Jewels For Me,” Black bragged.

Stray snapped his little fingers, "Darn, that last card..."

“Better Luck Next Time.” This wasn’t so bad. It was a safe way to practice strategy.

  
  


"Wanna try another one? Maybe you could get what's his face that bit a lemon over there to play." Stray commented, jerking a thumb in the Fell’s direction. 

Black smirked. “Sure.” He stood up and approached the group, ignoring how most of them tensed up. Stray snickered and picked out a different box.

  
  


Black retreated back at the tension. “What Did You Get This Time?”

Stray shoo'd him off, "This one needs more than two players. 'S call Catan though."

Black snapped his teeth at him. “Then Go Pick Someone Out. Make It Someone Good Or Else.”

Stray shrugged, "Sure." 

He popped right up onto the top of Edge's head, "Hey bud, wanna play a game?"

Edge shrieked in surprise at the voice and promptly tried to kill it. Black snarled and threw his own bones in retaliation.

Stray popped back to the arm of the couch laughing at the shriek, "We sure that one ain't a girl?"

Edge shielded quickly and Red growled. Honey quickly grabbed Blue and pulled back as Black threatened the other skeleton back.

Blue shouted at the tug back but grinned at his brother. Papyrus hopped in between the two, "NOW LETS NOT DO ANYMORE OF THIS INSIDE. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS IS NOT OUR HOME!" 

Sans straightened up socket twitching as he took in the atmosphere his brother had centered himself in.

Edge growled watching the other. Black laughed, the sound mocking and derisive, perfectly cultivated to scare his enemies. “AFRAID?”

"I AM AFRAID OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO REPAIR ANY DAMAGES! ARE YOU WORKING HERE YET?" Papyrus questioned hands on hips.

“I LOOK AFTER MYSELF,” Black snapped.

"And me!" Stray pipped up from the arm of the couch. 

"ARE WE GOING TO KEEP THIS GAME NIGHT GOING? YOU TWO CAN SETTLE YOUR ISSUES WITH THE GAME!" Blue announced.

“THAT’S AN IDEA,” Black agreed, smirking.

“RISK,” Edge declared sharply.

“IT’S NOT THAT RISKY.”

“that’s the name of a game,” Red corrected awkwardly.

"WE HAVE THAT!" Blue grinned. 

"Just...don't flip the table." Sans joked.

“FINE.” Black settled down near the table, magic still thrumming with tension. Edge knelt at the other side. Silently they set it up, Red helping his brother.

Stray walked along the edge of the game board. This looked a lot more advanced than the last one.

“HOW DO WE PLAY?” Black asked.

“you compete over territories using soldiers.”

“I SEE.” What familiar grounds to be standing on.

Stray hummed, "Should get one more to play to... Hey tiny guy! Wanna play fourth?" Never mind he was the smallest.

Blue blinked, was it talking to him? He slipped away from his brother and came over to the table.

  
  


“who’s third?” Red asked.

"I am." Stray shrugged, "Unless you think you're smart enough to compete with these three."

  
  


“hey,” Red growled. “who said we’d let the pet play?”

“SANS,” Edge warned, watching the glint in Black’s eyelights.

Stray just summoned a sharp little bone kicking it flying toward Red, "Nobody put you in charge either. At least I'm not wearing a collar."

“why you little-“ Red lunged at Stray. Edge shouted as sharp bones erupted breaking the table.

  
  


Stray dodged a bone and popped onto red aiming another tiny bone for an eye socket.

Red twisted out of the way and lashed back claws cutting across Stray’s fragile chest.

“STRAY!” Black roared. Several blasters popped into existence. Honey grabbed Blue and shortcutted out. Edge braced himself, summoning waves of bones to act as a barricade.

Stray popped back to Black with a wince, he nestled himself against Black's neck and purred.

Black didn’t recognize Stray’s presence, lost at this point and just lashing out, destroying everything he could. Edge fought back, and fought back well, a steel calm allowing him to hold the berserking skeleton at bay while the room was destroyed.

Stray scrabbled down to Black's ribs (not an easy feat with armor on) and flared his magic.

Black choked looking for the threat that felt so close. Where? He couldn't find it. Searching for it forced him to calm down, and he finally realized the magic was familiar. "STRAY?"

  
  


The bitty just clung to him wrapping an arm around a rib. Black looked around the destroyed room and the skeletons staring at him hostilely. He pulled himself back and rushed away.

Stray tilted his head and scrabbled back up, "You ok?"

"YOU IDIOT. YOU ABSOLUTE MORON. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Black had thought-

"Guess I wasn't." The bitty replied shakily.

Black nodded and hurried home. As soon as they were inside Black curled up.

Stray snuggled down right where he was, clinging to Black as best he could. Though that wasn't so great right now. Maybe he should inspect the damage? Eh he could do that later. Right now he was safe and curled up with his master.

Black finally calmed down and realized that he should check on Stray. The thing was so small. He could have been badly hurt. Stray was sleeping with a little wheezy purr. Despite having some broken ribs and a large fracture to the sternum he kept close and pressed his face to the larger monster.

“STRAY!” He was hurt, and badly. How was he purring? Was he broken or something? Sans very carefully cradled Stray in his arms and hurried to where the bandages were.

Stray peeked an eye open when he heard his name, "Hmmmm?" 

Ouch that burned...he settled in feeling the arms under him. Okay, so this was kinda nice. His head was all floaty, and his magic burned.

"STAY WITH ME," Black told Stay urgently. He gently undressed Stray and hissed as he looked at the damage. How was Stray not dust?

He chuckled quietly, "Where else am I gonna go?"

Sans pressed a finger lightly to Stray’s head before focusing on patching Stray. His healing magic was rough. It probably hurt to feel it jolt through him. It functioned at least, if not polished. Sans carefully wrapped Stray’s chest with the bandages. The store bought magic was so much better than his own. Stray let out a broken little noise at the healing jolt, that was- nope he shouldn't go there. So he just let himself float and hissed lightly at the pressure from that bandaging. When would this be done so he could go back to snuggling up to his monster?

Sans gently checked over Stray before picking him up to cuddle. "SORRY I'M NOT BETTER AT THIS."

Stray hummed contentedly at the cuddling, "You're perfect."

"IF I WAS YOU'D BE HEALED BETTER."

"'M healed fine, just need the love." He nuzzled himself up against the bigger monster.

Black smirked a little. "YOU'RE JUST GLAD YOU HAVE AN EXCUSE TO BE CARRIED EVERYWHERE FOR A WHILE." He gently stroked Stray.

The bitty shivered with the careful petting, "Maaaaybe."

Was he cold? Sans stood up and moved to the bed to bundle Stray up more against him. Stray was practically in heaven. He had gone back into the slightly floaty feeling, and now it was warm! He purred away happily, despite the patchy quality of the noise. Sans watched Stray carefully. Watching the bitty was perhaps not very entertaining, but it felt vital to keep an eye on him. He let the hours pass curled up around the small life

Stray peered up at him after a while, "You ever gonna sleep? You didn't get hurt did you?"

Sans blinked. "JUST A COUPLE SCRATCHES." Nothing that needed any kind of looking after. "AND I'LL SLEEP IN A LITTLE WHILE."

"Take a nap with me. We can figure out food afterward." He nuzzled his face into the bigger skeleton's sternum and tugged a blanket fold over his head.

Sans chuckled softly. “ALRIGHT.” He checked the time. It had been some hours. Stray was stable. He curled up carefully to rest.

Stray sent a pulse of magic out, clearly trying to lull the bigger monster into settling into sleep along with him.

“DON’T DO THAT,” Sans scolded. “YOU NEED THAT MAGIC.”

"You need sleep. I'm fine, little riled but fine."

“PLEASE. I’VE GONE LONGER. AND IF YOU TRY TO PROVE YOU’RE FINE YOU WON’T ENJOY THE CONSEQUENCES.”

"Proving everything just as I need to." He wiggled a bit in his spot, he wasn’t even aware it was barely a movement at all.

Sans let out an almost silent purr as he tried to soothe Stray and relax himself. Stray snorted a laugh that choked out with a tiny gasp. Then he resumed purring loudly, tucking his hands into the spaces between ribs to snuggle. Sans purred in return. It took a long time, but he fell asleep cradling Stray close. Stray fell asleep after Sans did, he wasn't about to let anything happen. Blue tried to call a few times, but Stray turned the ringer off of the phone.

Sans woke up the next morning oblivious to his phone being turned to silent. He carried Stray to the medical supplies and unwrapped Stray to check his healing. Stray merely batted at the hands trying the wiggle further down into the shirt. Once Sans had gotten a fresh bandage back into place he happily snuggled down, sleep reclaiming him; a good thing with how much he needed it. 


	4. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse into some of the other characters, and some socializing... maybe?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be posting another little blurb as a related fic following Honey, Blue, and their new little family member alongside this eventually! It may or may not become a multi-chapter thing, but regardless it'll exist!

Honey was going to the kitchen for more chips when he saw his brother on the phone. “sans?”

Blue set his hand over the phone mic, "Yes?"

“weren’t you on the phone an hour ago?” His brother was social, but usually, he preferred hanging out in person.

"Yes, But-" he held up a finger in a ‘just a moment’ signal, "NO NO, I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA, I'LL BRING SNACKS. PAPPY HAS COME OUT OF HIDING THOUGH SO I SHOULD REALLY GO. TALK TO YOU LATER!" 

He nodded and hung up the call after just a second, "Do You Need Something?"

“chips.” He tilted his head. “planning a party?”

"Not Exactly. The Excitable Papyrus And I Decided To Try And Go Cheer Black Up, And See If Stray Is Looking Up!"

Honey stared at Blue. “what.”

"Well He Was Just So Upset, It's Only Natural To Check Up On Them!"

That was his brother, seeing the best in everyone. Even the homicidal skeleton that was a seriously messed up version of said brother. Honey had tried, really, to see the similarities, but that seemed impossible.

“right. you sure he’ll be fine with you dropping by?”

"Well That's Why We're Both Going, And Bringing Snacks! Good Ones...And Maybe A Peace Offering." Blue replied, suddenly looking thoughtful.

“like what?” What could Blue think the maniac would like well enough to not attack them?

"Maybe A Nice Wine...Oh! Or One Of Those Super Soft Blankets!"

"a blanket? really?"

"They Say The Weighted Ones Are Good For Anxiety!" Blue chirped, he had maybe already been looking at them with Honey in mind.

“you think he’s anxious?” Honey stared at Blue. His brother was trying to terrify him out of his wits. He knew it.

"I Think He's Something- I'm Not Entirely Sure What It Is."

“agree with you there.” Honey leaned against a wall. “got room for one more in your party?”

"Are You Saying You Want To Come Because You Want To Help, Or Because You Think Someone Will Be Hurt?" Blue asked. Having an on edge Pappy around could make things tenser than they already were...and he worried for his brother!

“you wound me, bro,” Honey evaded.

"PAPPY!" he chastised lightly.

“what?”

Blue sighed, "If You're Coming At Least Make Sure You're Dressed Cleanly."

Honey looked down at his very comfy sweats and shirt. “these aren’t that bad.” A little grease-stained maybe, but fine.

"Pappy I Did Laundry Yesterday!" Blue stomped a little foot in mock indignation.

“ugh.” Was it his fault chips were greasy? “fine.” He grabbed his chips and headed back upstairs to throw on his hoodie to cover his shirt. He came back down. “there.”

Blue rolled his eye-lights, it wasn't the best but he could work with it. "I'll Be Right Back, I Need To Get Dressed To!" he sprinted for the stairs, quickly changing into a floral print tank top in a deep blue and silver and some black jeans. 

"Wanna Take The Bike?"

“other pap taking his own ride?”

"Yes We're Both Planning To Get Things Fresh Along The Way! We Can Get Some Of Those Fruit Dips From Muffet's!"

“bike sounds fine then.” Honey nodded and followed along behind Blue to his prized bike.

Blue beamed at him and nabbed his keys, "Grab Your Helmet." 

He rushed out the door practically hopping into his boots to go take the cover off and get the seats adjusted. Honey pulled on the helmet and settled comfortably onto his seat when it was finished. “ready to rumble.”

Blue grinned and nodded, clipping his own helmet into place, and starting the bike up. He waited until he was sure Honey had a decent hold before taking off.

This wasn’t the safe thrill of his video games. Honey always felt torn between enjoying the wild ride and freaking out over how close they were to dusting. Honey took a breath and held on tight. Blue swung into a parking spot at Muffets. Which one would be manning the front today? It was always a gamble who you got, and what they actually charged you. He popped off the bike and waited for Honey to decide if he was coming in. Honey got off the bike and followed behind his brother into the bakery peering around. He grinned. Muffet's was such a great spot to go to. And there were two of them now. He looked over the drinks slowly selecting a nice chocolate caramel shake. 

"hey muff. chocolate caramel shake please."

Fell Muffet stared at the pair slowly cleaning a glass.

Blue grinned, "HELLO MISS MUFFET! ALONG WITH THAT CAN WE GET A FRUIT ASSORTMENT PLEASE?"

The other Muffet popped out from behind the doors leading to the kitchen, "Oh do I hear my favorite boys?" 

They were one of several groups she gave such a title.

Honey grinned at Muffet. “yes ma’am.”

“One regular chocolate caramel shake ordered,” Muffet told Muffet. She looked back at Blue. “Anything special about the fruit? Shaped? Sugar-coated?”

The softer Muffet grinned and turned her attention to the order, "Coming up dearie." 

"WHATEVER YOU THINK SOMEONE... POSH WOULD FIND ATTRACTIVE." Blue replied that seemed to fit well enough.

"Shaped and sprinkled with a touch of sugar. Got it. That'll be 300 gold."

Blue nodded, he was used to keeping these types of prices on hand when dealing with Black and his...excessive tastes. He handed over the currency and bopped back over to rock his weight around beside his brother as they waited for the orders to fill.

Honey eagerly accepted his shake and flashed a cocky grin at Muffet. “thanks.”

Muffet rolled two of her eyes but smiled sweetly at him, "Of course dearie, are you coming back by later?"

“yeah. i can never stay away for long.” Honey winked. He loved Muffet. She was a lot of fun to banter with and let him talk about his games. Not to mention the crafter of the world’s best donuts.

Fell Muffet clicked her tongue as she worked. Why her fellow spider allowed the ruffian so much leeway was beyond her.

The swap Muffet waved a hand as if to shoo the noise off, "Don't mind her, she's an old fuddy-duddy."

"One of us has to be," Fell Muffet chirped cheerily.

Honey smiled. "course."

She gave a tight smile to the other spider, "Would you like to wait here, or should we have these delivered for you Sweets?"

Honey glanced at Blue. “what’s the plan bro?”

"WELL, THE EXCITABLE YOU IS BRINGING DRINKS AND THE BLANKET AND WE ARE BRINGING THE SNACKS. OH! MAYBE WE SHOULD STOP AND GET SOMETHING FOR THE BITTY?"

“probably a good idea.” Maybe Black wouldn’t immediately lash out if they had something for the bitty.

Fell Muffet presented a beautiful basket of flower and star fruit.

Blue took the basket gently and tucked it carefully into an inventory slot, "THANK YOU AGAIN MISS MUFFET, ARTFUL AS ALWAYS!" he dropped a tip down to a waiting spiderling who scurried it off to set aside. 

"COME ON PAPPY WE'LL HIT A BITTY SHOP ON THE WAY AND FIND SOMETHING FOR STRAY!"

“Come back anytime!” Fell Muffet invited. At least one of them was generous with his gold.

“i’m not done my shake,” Honey protested.

Blue grinned, "BRING IT ON THE BIKE!"

Yeah, that wasn’t gonna happen. Honey stayed in his spot drinking his shake as fast as he could.

"PAPPY YOU WILL SET OFF YOUR LINES!" Blue admonished.

Honey winced as cold cracked through his skull, and kept drinking. Blue shook his head, this was gonna cause some trouble.

Honey stood up. "right i'm good to go." His head was throbbing with the cold but that was just fine.

Blue fretted, "ARE YOU CERTAIN?"

Honey tried to grin reassuringly and not grimace. “yup.”

Blue shook his head again and grabbed onto his hand, "ALRIGHT YOU BIG LUNATIC, LETS GO."

Honey let out a tiny whimper following Blue. Blue tsk'd as they made it back to the bike, "I Warned You."

“it’s fine.” He curled up against Blue on the bike.

Blue patted his arm, "It'll Wear Off." he kicked the engine to life and headed for the nearest bitty shop. Honey was perfectly content to be miserable on the trip to the shop. Blue stopped outside the shop, parking along the curb, "Do You Want To Come In? You Could Look At The Bitties While We're Here!"

Honey opened his eyes again and looked out. “could be nice.”

"Come On Then. It'll Be Fun!" Blue bounded for the door, pausing to allow his brother to catch up before heading inside.

Honey slowly sauntered into the shop and looked around. He immediately migrated to a pen of bitties to look in. Several excited bitties waved at him happily.

“Welcome,” a fluff monster said. “Do you need any help today?”

  
  


Blue grinned, "HELLO, I HAVE A FRIEND WHO'S BITTY WAS RECENTLY INJURED. WE'RE PAYING A VISIT AND I'D LIKE TO BRING A GIFT ALONG. WOULD YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS?"

  
  


"Oh my!" The monster quickly scurried off into an aisle and came back with several small-sized bandages and healing candies. "This can help with injuries most bitties have suffered. Have they seen a doctor? Oh, I know!" They scurried off again and returned with a very soft looking sling. "Here, this will allow the injured bitty to stay curled up with their owner while they heal."

  
  


"MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THINGS ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF. THEY SEEM TO BE FAIRLY CLOSE, AND IT WAS AN ACCIDENT SO I'M CERTAIN THEY ARE RECEIVING PLENTY OF CARE. THESE WILL DO NICELY!" he inspected the sling, what a nifty idea, "THANK YOU!"

  
  


"That's good to hear!" They radiated cheerfulness. "We also have some small games for bitties to do while staying still!" They indicated the miniature controllers for games.

  
  


Blue tilted his skull, "OH, I HADN'T HEARD ABOUT THAT. I BET IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED." 

He grinned and went to check out the tiny pieces, oh stars everything was so small and cute! He carefully picked up a set and tucked it into the sling with bandages and mini candies. He also nabbed a soft little robe, it looked like his chest had been hit, so keeping something open might be best!

The fluff monster radiated patient helpfulness while Blue shopped. He gave her a smile and picked up some bath supplies as well, this would make a nice little gift. He turned to look for Honey and giggled, there were multiple little snakey bitties draped over him.

Honey grinned at Blue. "think they like me." He petted one. The coral hissed grumpily as it nudged closer to Honey's hand.

Blue giggled again carefully making his way over to inspect them, "They're A Different Type Than Stray Is."

One hissed at him. Honey smiled and petted it until it turned red and was curled up on Honey.

Blue grinned, "Have You Thought About Maybe Getting One Yourself?"

“bro?” Honey looked at Blue in surprise.

Blue shrugged, "You Seem To Like Them. And You Could Use The Company While I'm At Work Right?"

Honey smiled at Blue. “i’m not lonely. i’ve got my games.” And the programs he coded and sold that he hadn’t told anyone about.

"If You Say So. I Still Think It Would Be Nice For You."

“yeah.” Honey cuddled them close. “come back after we do our drop off for black?”

Blue nodded, "That Sounds Fair. I'll Be Over There Checking Out."

There were a lot of upset lamias as Honey put them back, promising he'd be back again. He didn't mind the couple of bites he got from the really grumpy ones before they darted off. He headed over and joined Blue as he finished paying.

Blue giggled, "Guess If You Bring One Home We Should Get Some Bandages For You Too."

Honey grinned crookedly. "maybe. alright let's go bro."

Blue nodded and tucked the new set of items into inventory alongside the fruit basket and waved to the shop clerk, "THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!"

"Of course! Come back any time!" The monster fluffed up cheerfully. Honey waved back and followed his bro to the bike.

"time to see the-er, black?"

Blue rolled his eye-lights, "Yes Time To Go See Black." 

He popped his helmet on and hopped onto the bike revving the engine.

Honey wrapped around Blue and held on tight. "alright." Let them get there in one piece. Honey quickly entered the familiar rush of fear and joy as the bike raced off, half in love and half terrified. Blue giggled and directed them to Black's he had only been once before himself. Papyrus was waiting outside in his own car for them. He had a neatly wrapped box with him, prepared as always...well almost always. Blue parked right behind him and dismounted, "ARE WE READY?"

"as we're gonna get." Honey nodded at the other Papyrus and followed Blue to Black's door, bracing himself.

Inside Black looked up as a tripwire alarm alerted him. He checked carefully to make sure Stray was still resting well and moved towards the entrance, magic brimming.

  
  


Papyrus sighed looking at the wire, it had been well concealed, even his greatness had failed to notice it! 

Blue laughed bouncing his way to the door around more possible traps, "WELL, I GUESS HE KNOWS WE'RE HERE THEN!" 

"YES," he jogged up to the door and knocked, "THIS SHOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO START WITH GETTING HIM BACK OUT OF THAT SHELL!"

"maybe he doesn't like visitors," Honey suggested. "should have called first."

Black opened the door with a scowl. The scowl didn't vanish when he saw who it was, though his magic dimmed down to his regular levels instead of ready to eviscerate them. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"WE WANTED TO CHECK IN ON YOU TWO!" Papyrus chirped brandishing the wrapped gift. 

"YEAH, YOU TOOK OFF IN SUCH A HURRY LAST TIME AND NOBODY HAS HEARD FROM YOU SINCE!" Blue followed up, "CAN WE COME IN AND TALK A BIT?"

“NO.” Black’s answer was curt with no room for arguing. “WE CAN TALK OUT HERE.” He checked on Stray. “WAIT A MOMENT.” He closed the door.

“well. that was welcoming.”

Blue waved it off and dug things out of inventory, "LAST TIME HIS BITTY WAS HURT, DO YOU REALLY BLAME HIM?"

“guess not. it’s a good thing it’s just us.”

Black opened the door again, this time sans bitty. He stepped out and closed the door behind him, taking the time to lock it and activate the traps. Then he turned back to the group. Honey fidgeted nervously.

“WELL?”

"WELL?" Blue echoed back, handing over the basket and the little sling full of bitty objects.

Black looked at the items in confusion. He then checked them for any magic, double-checked once he noticed there was green magic.

“YOUR PRICE?”

"WE DO NOT HAVE ONE!" Papyrus pipped up, "WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE TAKEN CARE OF!" 

Blue nodded, "YES, THINGS WENT...POORLY LAST TIME WE WERE GATHERED."

“A BRIBE FOR FORGETTING THAT MURDER ATTEMPT ON MY BITTY?”

Geez, this guy was a bottle of sunshine. Honey shifted on his feet.

"NO!" Papyrus exclaimed, "A CARE PACKAGE TO BE SURE YOU ARE ABLE TO CARE FOR YOURSELVES UNTIL A TIME WHEN YOU'RE HEALED." 

"EXACTLY! WHETHER YOU PARTICULARLY CARE OR NOT YOU'RE ONE OF US, AND WE INTEND TO BE SURE YOU'RE ALRIGHT!" Blue grinned.

Black squinted and studied them all. His gaze fixed on Honey. “YOU REALLY SEE ME AS A VERSION OF YOUR BROTHER?” His voice was deliberately taunting, testing them.

Honey dropped his gaze to the ground.

Blue folded his arms, "WE HAVE BEEN PLEASANT, BUT I WILL NOT BE STANDING BY IF YOU ARE GOING TO POKE AT PAPPY. I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T HAVE A NATURAL SIBLING, BUT YOU CANNOT PUT BLAME ON US FOR HAVING ONE. WE ARE TRYING TO INCLUDE YOU."

Black bristled hard. “FINE.” Rub that in, why don’t they? “GOODS DELIVERED. ANYTHING ELSE?”

Blue sighed, "That Was Harsh, I Apologize. We Really Just Want To Be Friends And Sure Of Your Safety." 

"YES! WE WISH YOU TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH OUR PRESENCE! WE HAVE NO ILL INTENTIONS." Papyrus replied.

Black sighed. “FINE. I ACCEPT THAT YOU HAVE...” Black struggled heavily. “BENEFICIAL INTENTIONS.”

Blue grinned, "EXCELLENT!" 

Papyrus clapped, "WONDERFUL NEWS!"

  
  


Honey gave a thumbs up.

Black nodded curtly. “NOW THEN, I HAVE THINGS TO ATTEND TO.”

"HOW IS THE BITTY DOING?" Papyrus questioned. Blue shook his head, "LET HIM BE, ENERGETIC PAPPY! HE PROBABLY HAS A BUSY SCHEDULE TO ATTEND TO."

Black looked to Papyrus. “HE’S RECOVERING.”

“I don't get to be energetic pappy?” Honey joked leaning on top of Blue

"THAT'S GREAT! PLEASE INFORM HIM WE WISH HIM A SPEEDY RECOVERY." Papyrus smiled. 

Blue huffed, "Absolutely Not! When You Get Up And Clean Your Room Maybe I'll Consider It!"

“but sans,” Honey whined.

Black found himself briefly grateful he did not, in fact, have a brother. Very briefly, but there it was. “I WILL TELL HIM OF YOUR INQUIRIES.”

"We Are Skeletons, And I Appreciate Not Having Any Interaction With Your Posterior!" Blue chided.

Papyrus squawked indignantly at their conversation.

Honey laughed at the bad joke. Black stared blankly before turning and starting to unlock the door to get away from them.

Papyrus carefully laid a hand on his shoulder briefly, "WILL YOU BE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE NEXT MOVIE NIGHT?"

Black tensed. “I’LL CONSIDER IT.” How idiotic to turn his back on them.

"THEN I WILL HOPE YOU DECIDE TO COME AND PREPARE AS THOUGH YOU WILL!" he replied warmly, "WE'LL LEAVE YOU TO YOUR DAY."

"RIGHT." Black got inside and slammed the door shut.

  
  



	5. This Poor Kitchen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welp here we go folks. I'm sorry for your exposure to my trash boy.

Sans carefully picked Stray back up from where he'd tucked him into some blankets.

Stray grumbled, "You guys know you're awful loud?"

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" He should have chased them off, they disturbed Stray while he was healing.

"Mhm we gonna do movies?" He questioned.

"THE MOVIE NIGHT PAPYRUS SUGGESTED?"

"Yeah, gonna go?"

"PERHAPS IF YOU'RE FULLY HEALED BY THEN."

"I'll be fine, you worry too much."

“I DO NOT. I’M KEEPING YOU ALIVE!”

"And I'm here." He nodded, "What's in the box?"

“GOOD QUESTION.” It wasn’t harmful whatever it was. Sans carefully opened it.

Sans stared at the contents in confusion. He lifted up the blanket. “A BLANKET WITH WEIGHTS?”

Stray poked at it, he'd have to use magic to lift it, "Maybe they know you like training? So you could do it in your sleep!"

“THAT. IS BRILLIANT.”

Stray nodded, "They seem to be making an effort."

“HM.” He wasn’t going to admit most of the problems came from how he hadn’t been able to relax.

"Maybe we should go to the movie night, and just find a spot not right on top of someone else?" It was just movies right? Movies weren't hard, "We can even practice right now!"

"THAT IS AN IDEA."

Sans grabbed the blanket. The weight from it was surprisingly comfortable. He looked around to pick out a secure position to watch the movie from. If they were practicing he should make sure he picks a spot like what he'd pick when with the others. He selected a corner near the couch to sit in.

Stray watched him move around and choose a spot. He grinned and drug the remote over once Sans was settled, "There, now we can find a movie."

Sans nodded and flipped through the channels scanning for something that looked useful. He stopped on a documentary about predators. He shifted so he could pick Stray up and curled around him. Stray huddled as best he could into his spot. At least the tv wasn't completely boring. Sans was enthralled for a while. Then he started to get tired. Stray's nagging did have him resting more, but the weight of the blanket, Stray's presence pressed up against him, and the calm of his home had him starting to struggle to stay alert.

Stray grinned and leaned a tiny bit of calming magic against the larger monster. He was perfectly content to stay in the warm cocoon of blanket and if Sans fell asleep that's exactly what could happen. Sans dropped off dreaming of wolves and tigers.

It was the most restful sleep he'd ever had.

* * *

Sans hummed softly to himself as he bustled about the house cleaning everything to perfection, the sling strapped across his chest cradling Stray close. Stray pouted a bit at the sling, it was a little lower than he preferred. But it was easier on his chest to stay in it. And he wasn't about to interrupt Sans in his seemingly peaceful mood. Sans paused in his cleaning to look down at Stray, a big grin on his face. This sling was very useful while the bitty couldn't cling like normal.

Stray stopped pouting to grin back, he could live with the sling if it made his Lord happy. Sans grinned even wider and briefly petted Stray before resuming cleaning. Who knew having someone there with him could make such a big difference?

Stray hummed a song from the tv the other day as they moved along.

Sans hummed a couple of notes along with Stray before catching himself and stopping with a scowl.

Stray paused long enough to laugh before resuming.

"THAT SONG IS ANNOYING."

"It's catchy though." Stray snickered.

"UNFORTUNATELY," Sans bemoaned.

Stray paused for a bit, then picked up singing the theme song to Firefly.

"AN EPIC FOR US HM?" Sans joked.

Stray stuck out his tongue at the bigger monster, "You're just jealous 'cause you'd be Inara."

Sans considered that. "AND WHY WOULD IT BE BAD TO BE THE SUPER TALENTED POWERFUL COMPANION?"

"Wouldn't be, you live it." Stray grinned.

"SO I DO." And maybe he was starting to believe that. A tiny bit.

"Course that makes me like Wash and he dies so I call bullshit." Stray pouted.

Sans snickered. "YOU SURVIVED HAVING YOUR CHEST TORN OPEN."

Stray shrugged, "Wasn't gonna leave you there on your own."

Sans smiled. He didn't mention how his soul had ached when he'd thought that Stray was gone, or the sickening relief when he learned he wasn't.

Stray leaned back in the sling, chilling, "Wanna go for a walk when you get done?"

"YOU'RE HURT." Stray could die if they exposed themselves.

"I'm healing, and I'm not going out alone."

"YOU ENJOY TAKING RISKS, DON'T YOU?"

"Maybe a little. But more I just like seeing you smile!" The bitty schmoozed.

That had him crack a grin. "HMPH."

Stray grinned when it made him smile. He didn't go farther for now. He didn't want to push it, not yet. Sans checked the junk room and cleaned up some of what had been destroyed beyond usability. He walked the house and grinned. "PERFECT." Everything was tidy and back where it belonged.

Stray peered around, "Ok I guess."

"WHAT? WHAT DID I MISS?" Sans anxiously began to go over things again.

Stray held his hands up to be picked up out of the sling. Sans obligingly paused and picked Stray up. Stray grinned and leaned to nuzzle at Sans face, "There, now perfect."

Sans flushed and purred a little as he nuzzled Stray back. The purr prompted a loud answering one from the bitty. Sans kept up his quiet breathy purr rubbing against Stray who grinned widely, practically vibrating.

Sans finally put Stray back down and headed for the door. "LET'S GO OUT. I COULD USE A PATROL TO CHECK IF THERE'S ANY TROUBLE NEARBY."

Stray nodded against Sans' face, "Sounds good."

Sans brushed himself up to look his best, dressed up in his armor, and headed out to patrol. He marched confidently down the sidewalk, fighting back the fear of being in the open.

Stray stayed comfortably tucked against his neck, "It's warm out, you sure you need all the dress up?"

"IT'S NOT LIKE SKELETONS ARE SENSITIVE TO TEMPERATURE. I'M NOT A TINY BITTY LIKE YOU," Sans teased.

"Hey, I can do anything you can do!" He protested with a pout.

“AH, SO I DON’T NEED TO CART YOU AROUND?”

"Don't is a strong word." Stray argued clinging to the bone under his fingers.

Sans let out a huff that could have been a laugh if they weren’t in public. Stray’s answering huff was less enthused, and he leaned over to bite Sans for daring to tease. Sans twitched in surprise and turned his head to stare at Stray, eye-lights tiny in shock. Stray struck out his tongue at the larger monster.

“YOU BIT ME.” And it didn’t hurt. Well, not beyond the “Hey I’m not weak” intent in it. And a possessive streak he was faintly sure he’d imagined.

"Just a bitty-bit." He snickered.

That pun was awful. Sans ignored it in favor of flicking Stray before carefully touching where he was bitten. Stray scrabbled to keep his balance when he was flicked and tucked himself back into place around the, now space intruding, hand. Sans pulled his hand away and stared at Stray again. He really didn't know what to make of being bit when it wasn't to hurt him. Stray went back to purring lightly. Sans petted the tiny monster briefly and turned to continue on his walk. Should he maybe scold Stray for biting him? Stray just nuzzled at him and licked over the tiny area of damage shoving a healing intent toward it.

"FIXING IT NOW?" Sans grumbled. Not that the bite had been more than a tiny nick in his bones. Stray would have to bite a lot harder than that to really hurt him. Which again, had him marveling.

"Want me not to?" That would be a day.

"OF COURSE I NEED IT FIXED. YOU BIT ME!"

"You doubted me!" He huffed back and licked over the spot again to finish it off, "I fixed it."

"GOOD. AND I DID NOT DOUBT YOU. I MERELY POINTED OUT WHAT YOU ARE."

Stray grumbled.

Sans snickered. "ITTY BITTY."

Stray laughed despite himself and nuzzled into Sans neck again, "See anything interesting?"

"THE SKY IS CLEAR."

"It is, pretty bright out to."

Sans hummed contentedly.

Stray was quiet for a moment, "Should blow bubbles."

"WHAT."

"Bubbles." He repeated, "You know little layers of soap and water?"

"I KNOW WHAT BUBBLES ARE. WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU THINK I WOULD BLOW BUBBLES?"

"Cause it's fun? Target practice?"

Now there was an idea. That was a safe way that Stray could train. Sans grinned at him. "SOUNDS GOOD."

Stray grinned, happy to have come up with something his lord was fine with.

When sans returned home he got some soap to make some bubbles with. It took some work, but he figured out how to make the mixture and then blow it out. He grinned and put Stray down to blow the bubbles at him.

Stray watched them float around for a few seconds then reached out to 'pop' one.

Sans grinned widely. "HOW MANY DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET?" He blew more bubbles.

Stray shrugged and sent out a wave of tiny little bones to pop a series of them.

Sans blinked and grinned wide. "NICE." How competent was he? If Sans could make small enough bullets he would test Stray on those.

Stray looked up at him and beamed. That was decently high praise from his lord! Sans grinned back and blew more bubbles. Stray waited until there was a decent amount of bubbles before sending another wave of bones out. He was only a little disappointed that he couldn't just fling himself around to wail them into submission. As much as the sting would be nice, the larger monster wouldn't appreciate it.

Sans grinned. "GUESS BUBBLES HAVE THEIR USE."

He hummed and tried to see if he could catch one without popping it, it didn't quite work.

Sans laughed and reached out to pop a bubble himself. That was very satisfying to do. He made more bubbles to pop. Stray paused just staring up at the other monster. The laugh was so genuine, and-and...yeah that was  **_his_ ** monster. Anyone else beware.

After a moment Sans became aware of the bitty's stare and pulled back a little self consciously. "WHAT?"

Stray just grinned, "Nothing, just admiring a lord at work." 

He rocked back onto his heels and took off to chase down an errant bubble.

Sans grinned at that puffing out a little. Yeah, Stray was admiring him again. That was right. He watched Stray chase a bubble and joined him.

The bitty was having the time of his life, this was so much good. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. Sans laughed. The warmth that bubbled up inside him wasn't as unfamiliar as it had been before getting Stray, but it was startling in its strength. He laid down and purred at the bitty. Stray came right back, struggling the tiniest bit to crawl into his spot. But he managed, curling up and purring loudly back.

"YOU ARE GOING TO DESTROY ME," Sans told Stray fondly.

Stray purred, "Only if I get to help rebuild you."

"YOU THINK THAT'LL HAPPEN?"

"I doubt it, you're a very strong monster."

"TRUE." Sans grinned. "I HAVE SURVIVED EVERYTHING."

"So what's something tiny like me gonna do?"

"MAKE ME SOFT." It was the only way he knew to describe what Stray was doing.

Stray tapped tiny fingers against Sans' sternum, "I didn't do that. Been that way all along."

"HA!" Sans smirked at Stray. "IF THAT WERE TRUE I'D BE DEAD."

Stray considered that. Hadn't he been in a way? He wouldn't say that aloud. "Maybe."

"YOU NEED A REMINDER OF MY SKILLS?"

Stray grinned cheekily, "Maybe."

Sans picked Stray up and headed out. "PICK A SPOT TO WATCH FROM."

"By the door?"

Sans put Stray down and stepped out. He took a moment to let his magic well up and then whipped it out bones flying around them.

Stray hummed, "Man really gonna make me swoon." Whether he was teasing or not was hard to distinguish.

Sans chuckled. "ENJOY THE SHOW." He petted Stray and turned around to stretch before really getting to work. He had a lot of energy to burn off from so many days spent pent up watching and caring for Stray.

Stray popped back to his spot by the door. This would be a test of his ability to maintain self-control.

Sans started with stretches. It felt good to push himself to his limit, bending his bones, touching his toes, doing a flip, it all felt great. Once he was done with that he began to practice his kicks.

The longer he went on the more impressed Stray became with the larger monster. He really was a force to be reckoned with. The afternoon burned away and the sun was painting the sky orange when Sans finally came to a halt. He grinned as he jogged up to Stray. "THAT FELT GREAT."

Stray stared at him with wide, slightly dazed, eye-lights. Sans tilted his head and picked Stray up. The bitty cuddled up to the hand latching on at the contact. Sans let out a short chuckle and stroked Stray with his finger. Stray purred, latching an arm around the finger to nuzzle it.

"SOMEONE'S IN A GOOD MOOD." Sans cheerfully let Stray continue to nuzzle his finger as he headed to the kitchen to make supper for them.

"The best monster in the world decided to keep me. 'M always in a good mood."

Sans beamed at that and pulled Stray to his face to nuzzle him. Stray hummed a low note, still floaty and sort of out of it. He swiped his tongue over the larger Monster's cheek and purred.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Stray just nuzzled at his face and slurred, "Tastes good...don't ya know, supposed ta lick things ta claim 'im."

"PRETTY SURE I CLAIMED YOU." Sans put Stray on his shoulder and began to dig out the ingredients to try and make spaghetti.

"Mmmmm did'ya? When was that?" Stray asked, looping his arms around Sans' neck to cuddle the bigger monster.

"WHEN I NAMED YOU."

"Oh? Does that count?"

It wasn't a permanent claim. Sans turned on the water to boil and put out a pan to fry the beef. He thought slowly. Should he put a permanent claim on the bitty? Could he even handle it?

Stray hummed contentedly, "Guess that means I claimed you awhile back then. Means I could lick you whenever I wanted anyway."

Sans snorted and turned his head so he could properly see Stray to boop him. "UNLIKELY."

The bitty startled at the boop like a frightened cat, nearly jumping. "Wanna bet on that?"

"ON ME ALLOWING YOU TO LICK ME?"

"On you knowing when it's coming."

Sans flicked Stray. The bitty was ready for it and latched tiny fangs into the finger in retaliation.

Sans promptly flung Stray across the room in anger. Then he remembered that Stray was still healing and rushed after him. "YOU IDIOT! YOU EMPTY HEADED MORON! YOU USELESS PIECE OF TRASH!"

That smarted, he gasped in a breath around the hot sensation in his chest. Then the bitty laughed, loudly, "Gonna keep talking dirty to me M'lord?"

Sans scooped Stray up and Checked over his injuries. It looked like some of the healing fractures had widened. He let out a string of curses, specifying exactly how terrible Stray's parents were and what Stray could do with a pickle and a bottle of tabasco.

Stray laughed all the more, "Excuse you, that’s my metaphorical mother you're insulting. I came out just like her!" 

Then he purred leaning onto the hand prodding around the edges of the injuries, "That's an idea. Wanna help?"

"SCREW YOURSELF."

"Isn't that the point of the pickle," The bitty snickered, "Just a little tickle?"

"YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING." Satisfied that Stray was fine, just making really dirty jokes, Sans put the bitty on the counter. "GET YOURSELF OFF IF YOU'RE SO DESPERATE. I'M COOKING."

Maybe if the bitty hadn't spent a majority of the day exposed to high levels of magic, or wasn't still tripping over the knife-edge of pain from hitting another surface his head would have been clear. But the larger monster was right there...and he had told him to... 

Damn, why did pants have to be so annoyingly in the way? He should have picked something more stretchy. It took a bit of wiggling to get out of the tighter material but he managed.

  
  


Sans checked the pan and cursed at the burning meat, rapidly trying to rescue it.

  
  


Hhhmmm a bit of imagination and cursing could work, would his lord curse in a situation like his? Probably not, he was too proper about things. Stray took hold of the magic buzzing through his form and stuffed his shirt in his mouth. It helped keep him from screaming and kept it out of any potential mess...and left his other hand free to tease along the very edge of a fractured rib.

  
  


Sans grinned in satisfaction as he added in the tomato sauce. He checked his recipe and added some spices before tasting it. “HM.” He looked to Stray to tell him to taste-test and choked.

  
  


Stray watched him with eye-lights blown wide, the choking didn't seem to concern him one little bit; other than an exceedingly muffled noise from behind the shirt in his mouth as he worked his hand along the length of magic in his hand.

  
  


“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Was Stray really jerking off on his kitchen counter? Right in front of him?

The bitty blinked at him with a curious tilt of the skull, he couldn't answer properly with the shirt still balled between his fangs.

  
  


Sans looked around, before deciding the best thing to do would be to scoop Stray up and put him elsewhere. Sans gingerly picked Stray up to carry out of the kitchen. Maybe behind the couch? No, the bathroom!

Oh _ oh _ . He  _ touched  _ him! It threw off his rhythm and added an extra buzz to his magic. It didn't take two steps beyond the kitchen for him to cum, the noise strangled behind his shirt.

  
  


“OH, GROSS!” That was on him now! Sans glared at the bitty and headed to the bath. He put Stray down and scrubbed his hands thoroughly, making sure to remove every bit of cum possible and washing for a bit longer even after.

Stray snickered breathlessly watching him from the spot he had been settled. Yes, that was  _ his _ prissy monster.

Sans glared at Stray and picked him up next to scrub. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOTTEN INTO YOU, BUT YOU DON’T DO THAT IN THE KITCHEN WHERE WE EAT, OR IN THE OPEN STARING AT ME.” It gave him the unclean feeling that the bitty had gotten off to him.

Stray tilted his head, "Where else would I look?"

“WHAT?” Sans paused in washing Stray to study the bitty.

"What?" He parroted back watching as the larger monster studied him.

“DID YOU GET OFF FROM ME?”

"That wasn't obvious?"

Sans took a deep breath. “NO.” And now he needed to figure out what to do with a bitty that had seemed to imprint on him.

Stray hummed and popped back to the shoulder spot, "No? You didn't think it, or no don't do it?"

“YOU’RE A BITTY. HOW WOULD I REALIZE IT?”

"Fair enough." He nuzzled into the spot, "Know now."

"NOW I KNOW," Sans repeated. And he had no idea what to do with that knowledge.

An alarm went off and Sans shot up. "THE SAUCE!" He rushed into the kitchen to see it burning, smoke curling off it. "GREAT."

Stray used magic to turn the heat off under it, "Well, that could have gone a little better."

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT," Sans informed him.

"I'm not the one that flaunted all afternoon."

Sans grinned. "SO THAT'S WHAT SET THIS OFF."

"You told me to." He replied. If he had already been 'feeling no pain' and it made it easier all the better.

That...was unfortunately true. Sans glared at the burnt sauce.

Stray again nuzzled at him, "Sorry I distracted you."

"AT LEAST NOTHING'S ON FIRE."

"Yet?" Stray chuckled.

Sans flicked Stray and started cleaning up the burnt mess. He grumbled to himself as he disposed of the destroyed sauce, emptied the boiling water, and started scrubbing the saucepan.

Stray chuckled and nipped at the bone of the other's neck in retaliation for the flick. Then he settled back to relax a bit, the ache in his chest reminding him to stay still for a bit.

"I SHOULD STICK YOU IN THE CAGE, LOCK YOU UP," Sans grumbled.

"If it pleases M'lord." He wouldn't stay in it long...maybe for a nap.

Sans finished scrubbing the pan and headed to the bedroom. He put Stray in the rarely used cage and glared at Stray before heading back to the kitchen to make something to eat. Then he had research to do on bitties and sexual relations. Stray sighed and curled himself up in the rarely used bandana. He really did need the rest at this point. It sucked not being right on Sans, but he could live with this.


	6. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which words, blows, and phone numbers are all exchanged!

Sans read through everything he could find. While a couple of hypotheticals about relationships were raised, most of it was about letting down a bitty that grew romantically drawn to an owner without breaking the bitty's heart, and training a bitty so they understood that sex out in the open was not acceptable. Sans bookmarked a couple of those articles and read the ones about letting a bitty down with care.

Stray woke back up from the nap stretched a bit. The sleep had helped some of the fractures mend up, leaving mostly only larger cracks. He wondered, how many of those would just scar? 

Sans wasn't around, so he popped out of the cage, should he go bother whatever quiet activity the full-size monster was doing? No, he could let him have the quiet time. He had his own tinkering he could do. So he slipped into the junk room to hunt down the phone he had squirreled away to mess with.

Sans headed to the cage, reciting the script he'd looked at. "STRAY."

The bitty was not in the cage and was honestly so focused on his project humming to himself that he genuinely didn't hear or notice he was being called in the other room.

Sans scowled. Forget the script. "STRAY."

Just a little bit more... there! The wires sparked a bit. He twisted them into place and the phone screen lit up. Good! He tucked the wiring back under a plastic sheet and grinned when they didn't lose the connection. Slowly he started rebuilding the back of the phone, tucking screws into place and- oh was that his name? He looked back over his shoulder, suddenly quiet, listening.

"IF YOU FORCE ME TO HUNT YOU YOU WILL REGRET IT. YOU WON'T BE SLEEPING WITH ME TONIGHT," Sans threatened.

Stray scrabbled out of the junk room as quickly as he could manage, "I'm here! Sorry, I didn't- I was working."

“ON WHAT EXACTLY?" Sans asked curiously.

"Just a tech project. I was focused on tiny wires so I didn't hear until that last call." He popped up to Sans' shoulder, "Whatcha need?"

Sans moved Stray so he could cuddle him. "YOU."

Stray blinked and nuzzled into the hold with a loud purr.

"DON'T DISAPPEAR ON ME," Sans told him softly.

"I don't plan on it." He quipped back.

"GOOD." He petted Stray softly and straightened up. "SO I DID RESEARCH. AND APPARENTLY, YOUR KIND HAS NEEDS I DID NOT PREPARE FOR."

Stray tilted his skull to peer up at the larger monster, "Hm?"

"I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD A SEX DRIVE," Sans said bluntly.

"Some do, some don't. Same as anyone else, right?"

Sans nodded. "RIGHT. AND I REALLY SHOULD HAVE PUT AN AREA ASIDE FOR YOU."

"Got a bedroom."

Sans shot Stray a look. "I AM NOT SLEEPING IN A BED THAT'S COVERED IN YOUR CUM."

"That'd be a tall order to cover it." He replied cheekily.

Sans shook his head. "YOU GET MY POINT. NOT IN THE BED."

"Fine. I can be creative."

"NOT IN THE KITCHEN EITHER!"

"Can I take things _ out  _ of the kitchen?" He sassed.

"AS LONG AS IT'S CLEANED UP AFTER."

The bitty snickered, "Alright, clean up my mess, I get it."

“THERE, THAT’S DEALT WITH.” Sans grinned, pleased with his problem-solving.

"You gave me a heart attack just to tell me to keep from  _ choking the chicken _ in the kitchen?"

“I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE YOU WERE!”

Stray scrambled to stand up and press his face to Sans', "You were worried."

“YOU DISAPPEARED,” Sans grumbled gently nuzzling the tiny monster.

"Not goin' anywhere you don't." Stray replied firmly.

“GOOD.”

"But you do go into the junk room." He grinned.

"OF COURSE I DO. IT'S MY ROOM."

"They're  _ all  _ your room, you own the place."

Sans stuck his tongue out at Stray. Stray stuck his out and poked the larger monster's lightning quick.

Sans pulled his head back in surprise. Oh, right. He still had that other thing he had to talk to Stray about. "I READ UP ABOUT BITTIES BEING INTERESTED IN THEIR OWNERS," Sans told Stray.

Stray tilted his head, "It happens... still people, spend a lot of time together."

Sans nodded. "RIGHT." He cleared his throat and began to carefully recite the memorized script. "I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP IS CLOSE. WE ARE BITTY AND CARETAKER. BOUNDARIES ARE NOT ALWAYS CLEAR. I AM TOUCHED THAT YOU SEE ME AS A ROMANTIC PARTNER AND HONORED THAT YOU CARE FOR ME SO DEEPLY. UNFORTUNATELY, I DO NOT RETURN THESE FEELINGS. I WISH TO CONTINUE AS FRIENDS. KNOW THAT I CARE FOR YOU DEEPLY, AND DO NOT WANT TO LOSE YOU." Sans paused and thought it over. That seemed to cover everything.

Stray raised a brow, "You get that whole monologue offline?"

"ON A FORUM, YES."

Stray busted out laughing, "You know, that type of thing isn't for your kind of person. You're the one that literally threw a bitty you didn't own. Gonna really feed into the sheep mentality?"

Sans glared at Stray. "IT WAS THE BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION. I CHECKED PLENTY OF WEBSITES. ALL AGREED THIS WAS THE BEST WAY TO COMMUNICATE TO A BITTY INTERESTED IN THEIR OWNER."

"That just sounds like you're avoiding making your own decision."

Sans crossed his arms. "I AM NOT!" He was doing his best! He didn't exactly know how to communicate emotional things

"Mmmm you can't know you're not interested yet."

"I KNOW THAT I HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO ANY OVERTURES IN THE PAST, AND DO NOT WANT YOU TO BE DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR PURSUIT."

"I can wait. Not like either of us have any other prospects." He shrugged.

"I COULD HAVE ANYONE I WANTED," Sans argued.

"Then why not someone already interested?"

"I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT YOU," Sans pointed out practically.

"Yet." He shot back.

Sans snorted. Internally he made plans for play dates with other bitties so Stray could have someone to latch onto that wasn't him and not be hurt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


It had taken some work, but Sans had located a location that allowed bitties to mix and mingle. He had also learned much to his surprise that Stray was actually a specific breed. He was very much looking forward to talking to other owners about their own experiences with lil bro bitties. Sans grinned as he prepared to leave the house.

Stray was mostly healed up, he did have a few lingering scars though, which he had taken to lounging around the house without covering under the excuse that the edges caught on fabric. Though he was able to cling comfortably to his favorite spot again. Which he took as much advantage of as he was allowed. 

"Where we going?"

"TO A BITTY SHOP."

Stray tilted his skull, "I don't need anything?"

"WE'RE NOT GOING THERE TO BUY THINGS. WE'RE GOING THERE TO LEARN. AND PERHAPS MAKE FRIENDS."

Stray blinked and popped up to Sans' shoulder, "Oh, cool."

"I KNEW YOU'D THINK SO." Self-satisfaction is deep in his voice. He strolled out and headed for the bitty shop, enjoying the time outside with Stray acting as his backup.

Stray rolled his eye-lights when he knew the larger monster couldn't see it. He could make friends sure, as long as they _ stayed _ friends.

They reached the shop. The monster working there was clearly terrified by Sans, but let him in. Sans ignored, what was to him, a perfectly normal response, and headed to the pen where various bitties were running around. He picked Stray up. "ALRIGHT, GO MEET THEM."

Stray raised a brow, "Sure, you gonna hang around with other owners?"

"I DO WANT TO TALK WITH THEM."

Stray glanced to the bitties, then the people milling around, and back to Sans, "You sure you want me here?"

"IT'S GOOD FOR YOU TO SOCIALIZE." Sans nodded firmly. Not that he'd be doing a lot of talking. More just watching Stray.

"You realize you're being a hypocrite right?" Stray questioned teasingly before he turned to approach the other bitties.

Sans scowled at Stray and crossed his arms, settling near a wall to make sure that his back was covered and he could watch. The monsters in the shop generously left him his space, leaving the human owners to linger nearby and study the weird skeleton.

In the pen, a lizard bitty spotted Stray and grinned. She charged playfully at him tail swinging behind her. "Heads up!"

Stray blinked and waited till the last second to pop out of the way, "Wanna go?"

She blinked, surprised. "Huh. Your kind aren't normally so happy to tussle. Fun to bug though." She grinned widely.

Stray raised a brow, "Wow, original. Offer stands."

"Yeah let's go!" She grinned and charged at him happily.

Sans watched with interest, curious how well Stray would perform.

Stray grinned and let her run into him, using the momentum to send them both sprawling. If he had his way he could knock her into the side of the enclosure, they weren't that far from it.

She let out a faint noise of surprise as he twisted. She kept up with it and pushed so she could pin him down and grinned.

Stray hummed, okay then, she had a little more mass than expected. No big deal. He could just... the bone construct he pulled to his hand was blunter than he would use at home, she was a more fleshy monster after all. He swung for her unprotected side.

"Oof!" She rolled off him and stood up. "A bullet?" She tilted her head consideringly, then shrugged and charged in again.

Sans relaxed slightly. Stray was doing alright so far.

Stray laughed and shoved his feet into her gut, this was actually pretty fun. And it didn't really put any danger in the way of his lord.

She oofed but kept going, happy to play fight with him. The other bitties stayed clear of their little battle.

Stray twisted, popping off the floor of the enclosure. "You got a person here?"

“Yeah!” She straightened up and pointed proudly at a nerdy guy that was fidgeting. “Chad’s awesome.”

Stray raised a brow, "And he keeps up with you?"

“He’s really cool! Builds me all kinds of stuff.”

Another skeleton slipped over and studied Stray. “sup.”

Stray shrugged, "How high?"

The skeleton snickered and the lizard groaned. “Really man?”

"Whaaaat, he asked." Stray sent the lizard a crooked grin.

She snickered and held out her hand. "I'm Cleo."

"Stray." He replied simply, giving her hand a lazy shake.

“ash,” the other skeleton said.

“Nice t’meet ya! So who’re your owners?” one of the other bitties questioned scanning the crowd. 

Stray jerked a thumb in Sans' direction, "The grumpy pants over there avoiding the other people."

“Seriously? You’re with death guy?” Cleo stared at Stray in aw.

"Mhm." That association amused him, he much more associated his Lord with the rush of feeling alive than the stagnation of dust.

“bet he’s cool at home,” Ash said. He pointed to his own owner, a little girl with her parents looking through the accessories. “beth’s my girl.” He smiled fondly.

Stray stared, "You belong to a kid?"

“yeah. she’s fun.” Ash grinned easily at Stray.

“How long were you around before being adopted?” Cleo asked. “lil bros and sansys are real popular with kids.”

Stray tucked his hands into his pants pockets, "I wasn't long. Less than a week there." 

He looked to Ash, "How does that work though, with someone so young? Leading her more than the other way round?"

Ash blinked. "we chill, we're friends." Lead?

"Well yeah, that's the whole point, but you gotta look after her, yeah?"

Ash nodded. "yeah, i keep an eye on her."

"Huge job with her all defenseless."

Ash tilted his head. "not too much. not like i'm on my own."

True, the parents were there, "Cool."

"You don't worry about people picking on your guy surely?" Cleo asked.

Stray fell into full belly laughs, "No, he could take on anything. You called him death yourself. But that's a kid, he's got work but out for him helping keep her safe."

Ash shrugged. "not really what i'm there for. can help, sure, but mostly there to keep the kid company. your guy has you training to fight or something?" Both bitties looked at Stray with a quiet intensity, willing to report Sans if he was setting up a fight ring with an ignorant fresh bitty.

"Nah, does that part all on his own. Fun to watch. Playin' around is fun an' all, but it's too much work to do all the time you know?"

"I get that." Cleo nodded. "Lots of fun to wrestle, but not everyone's up for training all the time. Chad joins me sometimes, but he isn't dedicated to training like me!"

"so much energy," Ash groaned.

"See I'm the Chad there." He snickered. "Except I might be good enough to do some damage."

"We'll see about that!" Cleo grinned mischievously and charged Stray again. Ash quickly popped out of the way.

Stray raised a brow and lifted an arm at the last second, slamming his elbow into her throat.

Cleo choked in surprise, coughing and backing up. “Cleo!” Ash popped to her side and checked over her. Sans snorted in amusement.

Stray chuckled, "You gonna be ok? Might wanna switch tactics away from just charging at someone." Cleo coughed some more and nodded. Ash relaxed.

"You," he pointed at Ash, "good instincts. Take off if you can't take the hit."

“gonna train us?” Ash joked. Cleo straightened up trying to look eager and ready instead of still recovering and wanting to go anyways.

Stray shrugged, "Sure, why not? Wouldn't hurt. Cleo likes it, and you have a kid. If there was any trouble you outta be able to help stead'a being a pillow princess about it."

“ouch,” Ash joked.

“Sounds great!” Cleo grinned widely sharp teeth flashing.

"You'll get over it. Use any attack magic at all?" He gave Cleo a thumbs up.

“got these.” Ash summoned a blaster, and there was a cry of warning. A caretaker hurried over and picked up the bitties separating them carefully. Cleo fussed but accepted being given back to her owner, while Ash looked sheepish at being out in time out.

Stray cackled at the separation, did they really think that was going to stop anything?

Sans stepped over and looked at Stray. “PROBLEM?”

“Sorry sir,” the human caretaker said. “The bitties seem to have gotten upset.”

“THEY SEEMED FINE TO ME.”

Stray just popped onto Sans's shoulder, "Just playin around. They're pretty fun."

“One of them summoned a blaster,” the caretaker scolded Stray.

“AND?” Sans asked flatly.

The human deflated a bit under his gaze before rallying. “Blasters are last resorts for defence.”

"And now if he has to use them you've made it a bad thing." Stray shrugged, "Wasn't gonna fire it. I can make 'em to, I'd know."

She glared at the mouthy bitty and shrank under Sans’ much more terrifying glare. Sans turned and walked over to where Ash was with his owner, sheepishly cuddling Beth.

“HELLO,” Sans said to the parents as charmingly as he would the queen. The parents looked startled. “I AM SANS, STRAY’S OWNER.”

“Margaret,” the woman managed.

“I’m Dan.”

Stray grinned waving, "So the kiddos Beth? She's cute, in a slightly smaller but still big person way."

Ash grinned. “beth is awesome.” Beth waved shyly.

“IT SEEMS STRAY AND YOUR BITTY STRUCK IT OFF. IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN FUTURE PLAYDATES, CONTACT ME.” Sans scribbled his number on a piece of paper and delicately handed it over.

“Oh, thanks,” Dan said, accepting the paper.

Stray wiggled his fingers back at the kid, "You make sure and snuggle Ashie here okay? Skeletons give the best cuddles."

“HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?” Sans asked Stray. Beth just beamed and cuddled Ash.

Stray tipped his head to peer at Sans, "Do you really want me to answer that in public?"

Sans shut up. Ash laughed at them, Margaret hiding a grin behind her hand. Sans glowered.

Stray chuckled and slipped down to sit tucked against his neck radiating comfort.

“YOU ARE A PEST,” Sans informed Stray.

"And yet you keep me around." Stray purred back nuzzling into the bone beside him.

Sans ignored the nuzzling, extracting himself from the family unit before Stray could do anything too affectionate.

"Should get Chad's number. Cleo would be cool to keep around."

"THAT THE LIZARD BITTY?"

"Yep, she has good charisma but needs tactics work."

Stray nodded and approached Chad. "HELLO."

"Uh, hi," Chad said nervously. Cleo straightened up and grinned. "You up for another round?" she challenged.

Stray grinned and looked between their owners, "Sure." 

He twisted to peer up at Sans, "Mind if we stay out of the pin?"

"Let's not," Chad said quickly. "You already got split up for fighting once, I don't wanna get kicked out."

Sans sneered at the cowardice. Chad shrank a little. "FINE. WE CAN DO THAT ELSEWHERE." He wrote down his number again and held it out.

Stray hummed and patted Sans, "I'll be right back." 

He popped down and scrabbled out of sight into the merchandise around them.

Sans sighed but settled down to wait for Stray to return.

"You just let him go off like that?" Chad asked.

"WHY WOULDN'T I?"

"He's so small, someone could step on him."

Sans tried not to think about that.

Stray returned after a while, looking much too smug, and popped right up to Sans' shoulder.

Sans immediately checked the bitty before relaxing. He nodded and left the store. “YOU LIKED THOSE BITTIES.”

"For the most part." He slumped to lay across Sans's shoulder hooking his arms around the larger monster's neck, "Home?"

“YES.” This had been very successful. Stray wouldn’t be lonely.

"Cool, this armor stuff makes my spot lumpy."

Sans snorted. “THIS ARMOR KEEPS US ALIVE.”

"Which is all well and good, but it can go away at home."

Sans grinned and kept walking. "YOU ARE A SERIAL CUDDLER."

"So what if I am? You don't seem to mind."

"I MIGHT SIGN YOU UP FOR CUDDLERS ANONYMOUS. GET HELP FOR YOUR ADDICTION," Sans teased.

"Mmm sure, you could be my sponsor." He teased back.

Sans grinned wryly, enjoying the easy banter as he watched around them. The trip back was peaceful, and getting home he stripped off his armor rapidly. It was good to have a chance to take it all off and relax. Stray immediately slipped down and settled himself against Sans' sternum. He pressed his face against the larger monster and hummed to himself. Sans hummed back and gently rubbed Stray's back. He was so glad this stubborn bitty had decided to break into his home. Stray shivered lightly at the petting and switched from a contented hum to a loud rumbling purr. Sans quietly purred back. It was getting easier for Stray to draw a purr out of him, though they remained quiet compared to everything else he did. Stray settled in, clinging easily despite relaxing against the other's bones.

  
  


"You Won't Be Alone," Sans promised Stray quietly.

"Course not got you."

Sans smiled and petted Stray more.

"Watch a show?" Stray questioned peering up with puppy eyes.

"YOU LIKE WATCHING THINGS TOO MUCH." Sans obligingly walked over and set up the tv before putting Stray down and heading to the junk room to work on a trap for Stray to fight through.

Stray whined pitifully at being set down and waited a few moments before sneaking off after him.

"DIDN'T YOU WANT TO WATCH TV?" Sans asked as he carefully tested the spinning spikes.

"Not really?" He had wanted his favorite perch, in a prone position.

Sans looked at Stray in exasperation. "THEN WHY DID YOU ASK FOR IT?"

"You didn't stay." The bitty pouted.

Ah. He'd wanted some time alone with Sans. That he was happy to do. Sans scooped Stray up and cuddled him. He carefully tidied up what he'd been working on, not that it made much of a difference in the junk room, and headed back to the couch. He picked a cooking show and settled down. Stray grinned climbing into his favorite spot, using Sans' shirt as a makeshift blanket. For the first few seconds he purred loud enough to drown out the tv volume, but eventually, it evened out a bit as he settled. Sans smiled, pleased to take the time to just soak in the bitty's presence as he watched the show. Tonight he'd try to make chicken breast. Hopefully nothing would burn this time.


	7. Kidnapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stray...what have you done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, I'm posting early! We're in the middle of a nasty ice storm and I'd hate to forget or lose power and fail to get it out. 
> 
> Oh, another thing! I've made Discord, both me and Blacksheep will be available for chatting [here](https://discord.gg/S8hAvSn)! Feel free to pop over (as long as you're an adult).

Stray opened the messenger app on his Lord's phone. If he had to play nice and do the whole socializing thing, it was only fair that the full-size monster did as well. So he waited until he had a few moments and snuck off with the phone, to contact one of the other larger skeletons. He ended up landing on the Blue copy of his Lord and making plans to stage a 'kidnapping' of sorts. 

As it turns out the other monster was quite knowledgeable on where one would go for a decent spa treatment and was all too happy to book an appointment he could drag his fellow Sans variants along to. Stray grinned and erased the messages after memorizing the date. Now all that was left to do was wait...

* * *

  
  


Stray had been oddly pleased with himself the past couple of days. Sans kept checking to see if Stray had managed to break something that Sans liked or set up a trap. Maybe Stray had kidnapped a bitty and was keeping it as a pet. Sans couldn't find anything out of the ordinary in the house though.

  
  


Blue tugged Red along, Sans wandering behind them with a mellow grin. The 'original' was highly amused with this turn of events. Blue hopped over the new trap addition to the pathway and knocked loudly on the door with a fairly chipper demeanor for someone who had just surprised several people with an ambush to the outing.

  
  


Black opened the door magic brimming with hostility. He stared in shock at the other versions of him at the door. "WHAT." This better not be an intervention. He hadn't hurt anyone all week!

Blue grinned widely then turned his attention to the bitty behind the full-sized monster, "HELLO! STRAY BE A GOOD BOY AND WATCH THE HOUSE?" 

Stray gave the chipper copy of his Lord a thumbs up and a subtle once-over. Well, that was certainly interesting! 

Blue grinned and quickly looped his free arm around Black and called, "WE'LL HAVE HIM BACK BEFORE DINNERTIME!" 

He grinned at Black, "I'M SURE YOU'LL APPRECIATE A PAMPERING DAY MORE THAN THESE TWO, I NEED SOMEONE WILLING TO SIT THROUGH IT."

Black stiffened as he was touched and promptly tried to rip Blue's arm off of his body claws slicing in deeply. Red was quick to summon a blaster and point it at the other. "hey, hey. none a' that. i gotta go through this, so do you."

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS," Black hissed.

Blue hissed loudly at the pain but rolled his eye-lights, mostly expecting this type of reaction. 

"ITS SPA DAY! STRAY SUGGESTED IT AS A BONDING EXPERIENCE, OR WELL, HE SUGGESTED SOMETHING. I JUST FIGURED GOING AND BOSSING PEOPLE ABOUT TO SUIT YOUR FANCY WOULD BE ENJOYABLE." He popped a candy from his pocket into his mouth and shooed them towards Sans' borrowed car.

"STRAY!" Black glowered at Blue and slowly stepped out. "GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON WHY I SHOULD ALLOW THIS."

"BECAUSE YOUR BITTY TOOK STEPS TO CONTACT SOMEONE SO YOU COULD BOSS THEM AROUND. I, IN TURN, AM TAKING YOU TO OTHER PEOPLE TO BOSS AROUND, QUITE POSSIBLY WITH A NICE BEVERAGE AND THE ABILITY TO BRAG THAT YOU WENT TO A SNOOTY SALON TO TREAT YOURSELF AND WHOEVER ELSE YOU MIGHT POSSIBLY WANT TO HOLD IT OVER DID NOT."

Stray was dead.  _ So _ dead.

But this place Blue was speaking of sounded intriguing. "HM." He followed Blue into the car. Red settled down in the back watching Black warily. Sans lounged in the back seat sticking his still slipper clad feet out the window and dropping his head onto Red's lap. Blue hopped into the driver's seat, leaving Black the passenger's side, "COME ON, WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TIME."

Black settled regally into the passenger seat. Whatever this spa was, Blue seemed to think quite highly of it. Blue had decent taste, he would give it a chance.

Red snorted and pushed at Sans. "really?"

"My car my rules." The lazy skeleton grinned not bothering to even open his sockets. 

Blue shook his head and started the car, heading for their destination.

"THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE SMELL," Black said.

Red pulled out a bottle of spiked tomato juice and offered it to Sans who sighed, "Fine fine you win." 

He sat up and took the bottle, only to flop back onto Red's shoulder. Red shrugged and decided to get revenge by leaning back on Sans. Blue watched them in the rearview with an amused giggle, "ANYBODY HAVE A COLOR SUGGESTION FOR MY DISTALS?"

Black perked up. Blue was coloring his distals?

"pink," Red joked.

"LAST TIME I DID PINK IT CAME OFF WHEN I WAS SCRUBBING THE MOTOR OIL AFTER WORK. IT JUST DOESN'T LIKE TO STAY."

"PURPLE," Black suggested. "A DARK SHADE."

Blue hummed, "PURPLE COULD WORK. I HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT WOULD MATCH."

Sans shifted ever so slightly, "You do what makes you happy kiddo. Wanna go with orange and green polka dots? We'd laugh, but not gonna ditch you." 

"THAT IS THE MOST HORRID IDEA YOU HAVE HAD,  _ EVER _ !" Blue screeched scrunching his face in distaste.

Black snorted his amusement at the ugly color scheme.

"black for me," Red decided.

Blue gasped excitedly, "YOU'LL JOIN IN!?"

"sure." Red grinned. "my bro will freak."

"SHOULD WE COME IN WHEN WE DROP YOU OFF?" Blue smirked at the other Sans through the mirror.

Red laughed. “sure.”

Black observed the banter silently. It was perhaps the first time he’d had the chance to do so. Every other time he had been burning with a need that Stray had slowly fed and quieted until he could finally see what was there.

Blue giggled, "ALRIGHT, SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE A PARTICULAR SERVICE THEY WANT DONE?"

“mud bath,” Red said.

“WHAT SERVICES?” Black tried to look like he was asking for particulars, and not what they were actually doing.

Blue crinkled his nasal ridge, "YOU HAVE FUN WITH THAT RED. LETS SEE, THEY HAVE CALCIUM SOAKS FOR THOSE LIKE US, MASSAGE, TONS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF WRAPS AND BATHS OBVIOUSLY MANICURE. THEY HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS FOR FLESHIER BASED MONSTERS AS WELL, OR IF YOU WANTED TO GO WITH SUMMONING A FULLER FORM I'VE DONE SO BEFORE IT'S QUITE NICE!"

Sans shrugged, "I just like the steam rooms." 

"THOSE ARE NOT FOR NAPPING! I REMEMBER LAST TIME!"

Red snickered.

“A CALCIUM BATH SOUNDS INTERESTING.” Perhaps it could help with some of his older injuries. He was curious about summoning a body too, but considering how rarely he practiced that he wasn’t going to have his first time be here.

"Sounds like something you could try out then." Sans replied pointedly ignoring the scolding from Blue. 

"YES! I'D SAY MASSAGE, BUT YOU DON'T SEEM TO CARE MUCH FOR THE TOUCHING ASPECT, DESPITE TENSION RELIEF IT CAN BRING."

“NO, I DO NOT CARE FOR CASUAL TOUCH.”

“think i can get someone sexy?” Red joked.

"I'D SAY STICK WITH THINGS LIKE WRAPS AND SOAKS THEN. THEY DO TOUCH PRODUCTS, BUT NOT TYPICALLY HANDS DIRECTLY ON YOU. AND RED, NO! DO NOT GET US KICKED OUT!"

“come on. i came along.” Black stared at Red like he’d suddenly revealed he was a clown cosplayer and started twerking. He wanted strangers to touch him?

"IF THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A INAPPROPRIATE JOKE YOU NEED TO WORK ON YOUR DELIVERY." Blue replied flatly. 

Sans snickered. Red seemed about to say something and changed his mind as he remembered that Blue wasn’t another skeleton, but was in fact an alternate version of himself.

"OH NO, YOU STARTED IT! OUT WITH IT, I'M CURIOUS NOW."

Red shrugged. “got several loads to deliver if you wanna check it out.”

Sans choked on a swing of the drink Red had handed him. Blue shrugged, "ASK ME WHEN WE DON'T HAVE SOMEWHERE ELSE TO BE IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE AND WE'LL TALK."

Red looked Blue over and grinned. “you got it.”

Black furiously pretended he was anywhere else.

Blue pulled them into the parking lot, "ALRIGHT GUYS, CAN WE AT LEAST TRY TO BEHAVE?" 

"No promises Berry."

"relax. you'll be allowed back."

"YES BUT MY REP WILL BE TARNISHED." He turned to stick out a tongue in their direction before popping out of the car. Sans sighed and popped out of the car, bringing Red with him by a tenuous grip on his jacket.

Red snickered and followed along to the door. Black tried to not look like he was actually part of the group as he followed Blue. "WHY ARE YOU THE ONLY SENSIBLE ONE."

"FUNNY I ASK THAT QUESTION OFTEN." 

"Sure kiddo." 

"I AM NOT THAT MUCH YOUNGER THAN YOU!" Blue snapped back automatically.

Black shot Sans a flat deadly stare. Sans grinned back at him, "Inside, fun times to be had." 

Blue giggled and bounded up to the door, holding it for the rest of them. Black marched in with dignity. Red followed after with a lazy slouch and a wink at the receptionist.Sans followed behind him with his hands tucked neatly into his pockets, but his feet a lazy shuffle rather than actual steps. Blue waved as he came in making his way up to the desk to check them in (not that they didn't know who he was he frequented often enough to be considered semi-regular).

Black peered around suspiciously. This place was very clean. It reminded him of a lab, except somehow friendly.

Sans stepped over to Black, "You gonna be chill?"

"YOU DOUBT MY CONTROL?" Black snapped, magic bristling.

"You seeing yourself?" He shot back raising a brow.

Red stepped forward. "easy, easy. let's save the fighting until after i meet my masseuse."

Black sneered and stepped away from the group, barely keeping from stabbing them.

Red looked at Sans. "let's not poke the time bomb," he murmured quietly.

Sans sighed, "Yeah yeah." 

Blue turned to look them all over briefly before he finished up speaking with the receptionist.

Red watched Black for a moment before slowly relaxing. Black seemed fine for now.

Blue bounced back to the group of them cheerily taking place between Red and Black, "COME ON, WE'RE GOING STRAIGHT FOR LOCKERS."

Red followed after him to store the thick fluffy hoodie he was wearing. The collar, of course, stayed on. Black didn't remove anything.

Blue tilted his skull at Black, "IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO SOAK SHOULDN'T YOU TAKE SOME OF THAT OFF?"

"RIGHT HERE?" Black asked.

"the baths are close," Red assured Black. "we're not asking you to trek out exposed."

Black slowly took off his clothes. Deep scars and pitting could be seen across his bones. Red carefully didn't look as Black slipped on a spa robe. Blue gave him an (what he hoped was) encouraging smile, and dressed down himself very much lacking modesty. He tugged the robe on and rocked on his feet. Sans left his shirt on and forewent the robe, storing his hoodie, slippers, and shorts. Red followed with just a towel wrapped around his waist happy to strut out of there and show off just how sexy he was, scars and all. Blue snorted an amused giggle and flounced after him motioning the other two to follow along. 

Sans knew exactly where he was going, and broke off from the group to go lounge in the steam room. Black peered around the place curiously. This had a very relaxed orderly feel to it. Workers moved smoothly and calmly around to aid customers.

Red picked out a monster and grinned. "hey. massages?" Red was directed to the massage table and summoned his body. He sighed happily as someone got to work on him. This was the life.

Blue giggled and waved someone over to explain what Black wanted. The monster politely guided Black to the calcium baths. Black stepped in, and felt himself relax. The green magic in there actively soothed him. It felt great against his bones. He let out a deep sigh. Blue fretted over how the others were doing for a few seconds, then happily submitted to his own scrub down, micro-crystals helping loosen anything close to dusting. A few minutes later Red let out a deep moan of pleasure.

  
  


The poor guy working on him rolled his eyes, "Sir we know you appreciate our efforts."

“they are fantastic,” Red agreed slothfully.

"Yes, we do our best. But can you bring the volume down just a bit? I don't really want anyone making...accusations."

“it’s all mutual, i assure ya,” Red said dopily.

"Right..." he kept doing his job. 

One very calm worker peered in on Black, "Are you comfortable Sir? Anything you need?"

Black bristled and stared at the worker. “WINE,” he ordered.

"Sure, would you prefer a red or a white?"

Black considered it. “A RICH RED.”

"I'll be right back with that!"

Red let out another moan.

Black contemplated murder.

The poor masseuse just shook his head and continued. 

The woman returned a few moments later with a glass of wine for Black, handing it off. "Do you think maybe you'd benefit from another tablet?"

  
  


Black glared at her. “WHY WOULD I NEED ANOTHER TABLET?” He dared her to mention any weak spots.

She shook her head, "Sometimes people prefer stronger mixes Sir."

“HM. ONE THEN.” He took the wine and sipped it slowly watching for a weak point in her.

The worker nodded and pulled another tablet from a cabinet slipping it into the soaker on the opposite side as him, not wanting to invade his space.

Black watched her sipping his drink.

"Anything else?" She asked cheerfully standing back up. Too fast. Black threw a sharpened bone at her. She yelped, tumbling back pale-faced and bleeding from a shoulder, "What is wrong with you!?"

Black snarled and leaped up to properly take her out. Red straightened up at the screams and reached out to grab Black turning him blue. Black snarled.

“run,” Red advised.

The girl didn't need to be told twice, she scrabbled to her feet taking off.

  
  


Black snapped Red’s control and turned on the other skeleton. “seriously? trying to enjoy myself here,” Red grumbled. He defended himself rapidly.

Blue sighed coming out from the other room, "I SERIOUSLY CANNOT LEAVE YOU FOR HALF AN HOUR?"

Black turned on Blue. Red grabbed Black and yanked him back. “yeah, yell at him after he’s done spiking.”

Blue sighed, "YEAH I KNOW. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WOULD HELP BRING HIM DOWN?"

“inanimate targets help, not having actual people to target.” Red grunted as he caught Black again, barely getting out of range and catching a sharp cut across his arm. The skeleton was deadly, and Red didn’t have the shred of protection he had when fighting against Edge.

Blue nodded tossing up constructs to manipulate around, "GO ON AHEAD, I CAN DODGE WHILE YOU GET THAT HEALED UP."

“nah, better to tag team.” The pair kept Black busy until he finally stopped in frustration, clarity slowly seeping back. Blue paused, signaling Red when he saw the change starting.

Red stepped back and watched Black. “we good now?”

Black growled. “YES.” He hated this. Hated being seen as a mad animal.

Blue fussed around both of them, "ANYBODY NEED HEALING? I'M PANTS AT IT, BUT I KEEP CANDY!"

Black flinched away from Blue. “I’M FINE.”

“how much candy you got?” Red asked. He ached all over, along with the occasional scratches where he hadn’t been quite fast enough.

"A FEW PIECES, BUT THEY TEND TO BE A LITTLE STRONGER. OUR VERSION OF UNDYNE MAKES THEM CAUSE ALPHYS IS...WELL NOT SO GENTLE." he admitted sheepishly tugging a handful out of inventory and handing them over to Red.

Red accepted the candies in relief. “good stuff.”

“I’M HEADING BACK.” Black stood up and headed for the lockers to get changed.

Blue sighed, "WOULD YOU LIKE A RIDE?"

Black studied Blue before nodding.

“trip done, or are you coming back?” Red asked.

Blue tilted his head, "I'LL RETURN WHEN I KNOW HE'S BACK SAFE. I WOULDN'T LEAVE YOU GUYS STRANDED." 

He looked over Red, "YOU SURE YOU'RE ALRIGHT?"

“yeah. gonna join sans crashing in the sauna though, lucky jerk.”

"FUNNY HOW HE DECIDED TO IGNORE THE SITUATION. I KNOW HE COULD FEEL ALL THAT." Blue pouted and went to retrieve his clothing and the car keys.

“don’t blame him.”

Black changed into his clothes and silently took a seat in the car. He brooded the entire way back home. Blue stopped outside of the house, "MAYBE NEXT TIME YOU CAN FIND SOMETHING TO DO THAT WOULD BE EASIER ON YOUR COMFORT LEVELS?"

“MAYBE.” He doubted there’d be a next time.

Black entered the house and slumped down on the ground.

Stray shuffled out from around the corner to the kitchen, and then automatically popped over to him, "M'lord?"

“GO AWAY,” Black mumbled. He didn’t need Stray to see how badly this had gone.

Stray huffed arms crossed, "No." He scrabbled up, climbing the bigger monster until he was on his shoulder pressed against his face.

  
  


Black glowered at his arms, still not looking up. Maybe if he ignored him he’d leave.

Stray frowned, "Didn't go so well?" 

He settled down, sitting on the shoulder, and purred.

“I TRIED TO KILL A WORKER.”

Stray frowned ire rising, "What did they do?"

“OFFER AN EXTRA TABLET OF CALCIUM FOR MY BATH.”

Stray blinked, "Well...that's not horrid?"

"NO. BUT THEY SAW HOW WEAK I AM."

  
  


"You tried to kill them. I'm assuming that's likely the last thing they're thinking." He replied, "Come on I made dinner...kind of?"

Sans snorted. He looked up. "YOU DID?" He personally saw the loss of control as a failure, but Stray's comfort was nice.

"Yeah, or well, I tried? Not sure it's come out _ completely _ right."

Sans slowly stood up and headed to the kitchen to see what disaster Stray had managed.

Stray curled his arms around Sans' neck. The dinner was some form of soup, it was a bit under-seasoned, but things were at least cooked appropriately. There was a small flour mess that hadn't been cleaned yet, but that was more likely from lack of time than anything else.

"THIS ISN'T SO BAD." Sans served himself up a bowl and sipped at it. It was about what he was used to food-wise.

Stray nuzzled him again trying to radiate comfort.

Sans soaked it in, slowly relaxing. "I SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE WITH THEM."

"No, you should! You deserve nice things!" Stray insisted.

"I LOST CONTROL," Sans growled. "I ATTACKED SOMEONE WHO PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT."

"And you're not going to do any better hiding away." Stray replied. "Think of it as training for social situations. You need to make mistakes or you won't ever get it right!"

Sans let out a low chuckle. “YES OH WISE ONE.” Taking advice from a bitty. This was his life.

Stray cackled and nearly fell off of him, "You can be funny!"

Sans cracked a grin and looked at Stray. "SO IT SEEMS."

"Part of why I love you."

Sans froze staring at Stray. Stray loved him? Stray said that out loud?

Stray tilted his skull, "What, foods not making you sick is it?"

Sans shook his head. The moment stretched out before he reached up and picked Stray up to cuddle close.Stray purred nuzzling his face into the larger monster. He didn't know what prompted the cuddle session, but he sure wasn't going to question it. Pressed this close against him; Sans' care, longing for Stray, and affection could just be felt under the far harsher turmoil his magic carried.Stray happily projected acceptance and a tiny hint of devotion back. He clung to Sans trying to be soothing. Sans drank down everything that Stray was offering up like a man with water in the desert. He was so glad for the bitty. It made everything so much easier.

Stray's purring ramped up again, "How about going on upstairs and rinsing off? You still have stuff clinging to you."

Sans looked down at himself and grimaced. "DISGUSTING." He stood up and headed to the bathroom. "SHOWERING WITH ME?"

"As long as you'll let me." The bitty quipped back.

Sans grinned at Stray and let him come with him to the bathroom. He stripped down and scrubbed harshly at his body as if that could remove everything that had happened. The hot water as always was a treat. Even after he was clean he lingered to soak in it. Stray stayed out of the way for the most part. Though he didn't exactly keep to himself. Once he was sure he wouldn't be in the way he popped back up to the spot on Sans' shoulder. Sans grinned at Stray, and splashed some water over the small monster.

Stray sputtered a bit and shook the water from his skull, "Rude."

Sans grinned. “YES.”

Stray snorted, "I outta teach you some manners."

“YOU? MISTER NOODLE BATH?”

"Hey, I didn't dump water all over you!" He shot back with a grin.

“NO YOU JUST TRACKED SAUCE EVERYWHERE,” Sans replied.

"Hey, it got me in here with you." He grinned.

“IT DID NOT!”

Stray shrugged and purred nuzzling against Sans' jaw.

“SPOILED,” Sans told Stray. It was a lie. He was the one spoiled by the other.

"Absolutely, you could do worse though." Stray chuckled.

“THAN KEEPING YOU IN A CAGE?” When had Stray actually been in the home Sans had built for him last anyways?

Stray snickered, "Oh you really don't know?"

Sans eyed Stray with suspicion. What was he on?

"I think I've only actually stayed in that for around three-ish hours this entire time?" 

The rest of the time he was very much lovingly cuddled as close as he could get to the sleeping monster. He didn't like not being right by that radiating magic.

Sans snorted. He’d expected as much, but he was very happy pretending to be more mean than he was.

"Plus you're much more open to radiating magic when you're asleep."

“WHAT.” This was why he slept as little as possible. He was too open when asleep. Too vulnerable.

"It's nice, helps with recharging after the days I end up a little fucked."

“HM.” He had known bitties absorbed magic to help their small frames, but he didn’t know Stray needed that much.

Stray shrugged, "You don't need to be all closed off at home anyway unless we got people over."

“I AM TRYING.” He nuzzled the bitty.

"I know." He leaned into the affection.

Sans finally turned off the shower and stepped out to dry himself off. He examined himself with interest. His scars looked clearer than normal. A result of the partial soak perhaps restoring his bones.

Stray carefully traced one of the smaller ones, mostly healed up. "Hhhmmm."

“I HAVEN’T SEEN MY BONES THIS WHITE IN AGES.”

"Well, you don't live wherever most of this happened anymore right?" Stray questioned. He actually didn't know all that much about where his Lord had lived prior to this house, it was all Stray had ever seen.

“THAT’S TRUE.”

"So you can start healing. That's ok." Stray smoothed a hand over Sans' cheek, "Besides I'm hanging around now. Nothing's gonna come at you."

Sans looked at Stray, his face open and clearly lost. He trusted Stray. He liked him so much. The protection being offered was so far beyond his experience, though, and made even more odd by Stray’s size.

Stray snorted at the look, "What, you think I'm not gonna put up any type of fuss if something comes along?" He shook his head, "Neither one of us is goin' at this alone, and I don't think those other skeletons want to leave you be either."

Sans smiled and hugged Stray. “THANKS.” It was good to not be standing alone.

Stray whined, all the positive vibes giving him the floaties again. He nuzzled into Sans.

“COME ON. LET’S WORK ON THE JUNK.”

Stray just hummed a noise of agreement and clung to Sans, clearly not particularly listening.


	8. Visitation

Sans dressed and settled in the junk room, content to take things apart and put them back together in odd and occasionally deadly ways. Stray lazed about, eventually scrambling into the pile to do something much the same.... and take an occasional sneaky picture of Sans on the newly restored phone. It couldn't make calls, but it was useful for other things.

Sans stretched out and looked for Stray. "TIME TO TRAIN."

Stray crawled out from the pile, "Okay."

Sans grinned. “DO YOU WANT TO STAY HERE?”

Stray gave him a deadpan stare, "And not watch you?"

Sans lifted his head proudly. “YOU WOULD MISS OUT IF YOU DIDN’T.”

"I'm not staying in here." the bitty replied.

Sans grinned and proudly went to show off how good he was at fighting, the bitty watching him from a spot hidden in the yard.

* * *

Stray jumped when Sans' phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, a message from Blue. Should he answer it? Last time...didn't go so well. Sans came to investigate the buzzing. He snorted at seeing who it was and opened the message.

  
  


From: BLUE 

To: SCARY ME 

DO YOU KNOW IF YOU WILL BE AVAILABLE ON TUESDAY?! PAPPY GOT A NEW BITTY AND YOU HAPPEN TO BE A GOOD SOURCE OF HOW BEST TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS!

Sans stared at the message for a long stretch before glancing over at Stray. "WANT TO MAKE A NEW FRIEND?"

Stray peered up at him, "Last time you decided I needed friends wasn't so bad. What's up?"

"IT SEEMS BLUE AND HIS BROTHER PICKED UP A BITTY AND THEY WANT ADVICE." Sans smirked.

"Neat, uh...they know I'm not the standard-issue right?"

“OF COURSE NOT,” Sans scoffed. Stray was incredible.

"Well, I guess we can go see what it's like?"

“IT SHOULD BE INTERESTING.” And would have less people there.

"Hope so."

From: Black

To: Blue

I HAVE TIME

From: BLUE

To: SCARY ME

WONDERFUL! I'LL BE OFF WORK AND ABLE TO SEE YOU THEN TO!

From: Black

To: Blue

AT 2

From: BLUE

To: SCARY ME

WE'LL BE EXPECTING YOU THEN!

  
  


Sans looked to Stray. “IT SEEMS WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT.”

"Appointment not hook up?"

“I WOULD SAY THAT DEPENDS ON HOW WELL IT GOES.”

Stray snorted, "You do know what that means?"

Sans smirked at Stray. “I DO.”

Stray paused with a flummoxed expression, "Wait what?"

Sans chuckled and left the room to train. Stray pouted following him, okay so he might have to run some interference. It shouldn't be too hard, they weren't the other dangerous monsters.

* * *

  
  


Blue scuttled around, dodging the bitty and his brother in his cleaning prep. Something beeped and he took off for the kitchen to pull the bar recipe he was trying out before they could burn. Hopefully, it went well with everyone, they were decently sweet so his brother at least would be ok. Honey peeked into the room, Coil wrapped around his neck. “you sure this is a good idea? could meet them somewhere else.” He was trying to be supportive, but Honey had freaked after hearing about the result of Blue’s last attempt to befriend Black. Coil tilted his head listening intently.

"YES PAPPY I'M SURE. IF IT WAS JUST YOU, I WOULD WANT AT LEAST SOMEONE TO KEEP TRYING! PLUS HE HAS A BITTY, HE COULD WARN US ABOUT SOME THINGS WE MIGHT NOT HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT YET!"

Honey stepped over and hugged Blue. What would he do without his brother? Would he be as nuts as Black?

“I can help,” Coil said, slithering onto Blue.

"THANK YOU COIL, JUST REMEMBER HE HAS A BIT OF A TEMPER, BUT HE'S NOT A BAD PERSON. HE JUST HAS SOME CATCHING UP TO DO!"

Coil nodded and butted his head under Blue’s. Blue gently gave the bitty a scritch under the chin, "STRAY IS QUITE A CHARACTER AS WELL. MAYBE YOU'LL HIT IT OFF AND GET TO BE GOOD FRIENDS!"

Coil hissed and pouted. Honey grinned. Coil always pretended like he didn't want things he really wanted. It was cute.

Blue giggled and handed the small snakey bitty a sweetened jerky strip. "THEY'LL BE HERE SOON."

Coil hissed as he munched cheerfully on his treat. Honey nodded and stayed close to his bro watching the pair.

Then knocking sounded from the front door.

Blue grinned, "THAT'S PROBABLY THEM!"

Coil hissed and clung tightly to Blue. Intruders! No, visitors. Don’t listen to your instincts.

Blue smiled, "WANT TO COME ANSWER THE DOOR?"

Coil hissed burrowing into Blue’s clothes. Honey sighed and went to answer the door. “hey.”

Black looked at Honey, unimpressed by the laid back skeleton. “WE’RE HERE TO INSPECT YOUR BITTY

Stray gently elbowed Black, "Be nice." 

Blue snickered lowly under his breath at the light scolding.

Black grumbled. Honey waved the pair in. "come in. coil's on my bro." Black did his best to walk in proudly and cover the fact he was moving so Honey wouldn't be behind him.

Stray popped down to the floor to investigate the area a little more. Last time they had been here he had nearly been dusted. 

Blue poked his head out of the kitchen, "HELLO, WE'LL BE OUT IN JUST A MOMENT, WHY DON'T YOU GET COMFORTABLE?"

Black nodded stiffly. Honey watched Stray curiously. “so.” He hadn’t actually talked to Stray last time. Too much had gone down.

Stray tipped his head back to peer up at the much taller monster, "So?"

“don’t think we actually talked last time. i’m papyrus, nickname honey.”

" _ Sweet _ ." Stray grinned, sending him a thumbs up.

Honey grinned. “very much so.”

Stray popped up to sit on Honey's head, "Damn how do you not hit doorways?"

“with great skill and training. stick with me and i’ll train you in the lost skill of missing doorways,” Honey said solemnly. Black watched in partial amusement.

Stray patted his head, "Oh man I hate to be the one to break it to you big guy...but not all of us are freakishly tall."

“hear that? that’s the shattering of my hopes and dreams of leading a league of freakishly tall people.”

"Aw man, see this is why I said hate. Now you've made me the bad guy."

“AND WHAT A VILLAIN YOU ARE,” Black stated dryly. Honey looked at Black and grinned a little in surprise. The scarred skeleton could almost look like Blue with that deadpan stare.

"Hey I can be nefarious if I want to!" Stray pouted. 

Blue giggled bringing out a plate of little bar snacks and drinks, "WELCOME BACK GUYS!"

Black inclined his head politely to Blue. Honey sat down and started munching on the nachos.

Inside Blue’s shirt, Coil hissed. The other bitty was on his monster! Coil shot out and slithered onto Honey hissing at Stray.

Blue shook his head, "COIL BE NICE, STRAY IS HERE TO VISIT." 

Stray grinned 'booping' the hissing bitty, "Ain't here to take your spot dude. Got my own."

Coil hissed in shocked outrage at the hoop and hid away in the fluffy hoodie he had. Honey gently petted Coil as the bitty hissed.

“THAT’S INTERESTING.” Black leaned forward studying the lamia bitty. So vicious!

Stray chuckled and leaned down to Coil, "Don't like it why not just mark your space?"

Coil took that advice and started rubbing himself vigorously against Homey pressing his magic into him. Honey stood there looking rather embarrassed.

Blue paused, "COIL MANNERS!" 

Stray only barely kept himself from cackling as he popped back over to Black.

Coil hissed grumpily at Blue. “Mine!”

Black grinned widely. Blue gave Coil a reprimanding look, "YES COIL WE ALL KNOW THAT." He looked to Black, "WHAT TYPE OF BITTY IS STRAY AGAIN?"

"I THINK A LIL BRO."

Coil bashfully curled up hiding his head under his own coils.

"HM, HE'S A BIT...SHARP? FOR A LIL' BRO. BUT I SUPPOSE HE KEEPS UP WITH YOU!"

“VERY WELL. AND I PERSONALLY FIND HIM SOFT.” Black smirked at Stray while Honey sat down petting Coil.

"OF COURSE, HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY LV!" Blue replied. 

"Any what?" Stray questioned looking around at the larger monsters.

"love," Honey said absently as he nibbled on more nachos.

Stray tilted his skull, "But I do?"

"WRONG KIND OF LOVE," Black corrected. "BLUE MEANS LEVELS OF VIOLENCE."

Stray frowned, "But I need that?"

Honey straightened up from his nachos and looked at Blue in alarm. Black just tilted his head. "YOU NEED LOVE?"

"You called me soft!" Stray pouted. 

"THERE'S NO REASON FOR YOU TO GAIN ANY LOVE HERE! THINGS ARE MOSTLY PEACEFUL!" Blue chimed in.

Black stared at Stray expression blank, fighting with the need to tell Stray that he liked him soft and the instinct to stay quiet and reveal nothing.

"you don't need to go fighting," Honey agreed quickly.

"But it would help! Right M'lord?" He peered up at Black frowning. He could be better for his monster and he should be! Black looked away from Stray, speechless.

"if you think you need to kill to be worthy of black, he's the one not worthy of you," Honey said quietly.

"So that's how it works hu?" He glared in Honey's direction, "If he really needed it from me he'd have already started working me for it. If anything I'm the one unworthy of M'lord's attentions. You can keep your opinions where they cause the most discomfort."

Honey stared at the bitty and shook his head. Where did Black manage to find this one?

Black silently raised a hand and petted Stray, appreciating him standing up for him.

Stray burrowed himself closer to Black's neck nuzzling. He had planning to do. 

Blue cleared his nonexistent throat, "SO HAVE YOU FOUND THAT ANYTHING MAKES IT EASIER FOR STRAY TO MOVE ABOUT? DO YOU KEEP FURNITURE IN SELECT PLACES?"

  
  


Black looked at Blue, a little startled. "NO. HE JUST GOES WHERE HE WANTS." Which was mainly on top of Black. Which he allowed. Was he getting soft?

Blue blinked, "HE DOESN'T HAVE HIS OWN SPACE?"

"HE HAS HIS CAGE."

Honey munched on some nachos deliberately avoiding the whole conversation. He was so busy. These nachos really needed his full attention.

Blue gasped, "PLEASE TELL ME THAT'S AN EXAGGERATION!" 

"Nah, don't really use it though. Unless I've been a  _ super _ bad boy." He sent Blue a wink. 

Blue gave him a deadpan stare very much reminiscent of Black's own earlier.

Black shrugged. "WHERE ELSE DO YOU PUT A BITTY?"

"WELL COIL HAS SEVERAL LITTLE HIDES DISBURSED THROUGH THE HOUSE. BUT I MIGHT HAVE ORDERED HIM HIS OWN LITTLE HOUSE..." Blue hadn't exactly asked either his brother or the bitty before making that purchase. Coil poked his head out and made a tiny little hiss of happiness at that.

"SPOILED," Black said dryly. Not that being able to do such was necessarily a bad thing here.

Stray crinkled his nasal ridge. He'd just as soon take the cage as an entire little house. He'd be expected to keep that clean. No thank you. He was just as happy to stay curled close to his Lord's soul for the night. 

Blue flushed a bit, "WELL, HE NEEDS SAFE SPACES!"

“I PREFER STRAY WHERE I CAN SEE HIM.”

“that’s true,” Honey said softly. “it’s good for coil to have places he doesn’t have to watch out in.”

Blue nodded to his brother, and turned to look at Stray again, "I SIMPLY CAN'T IMAGINE WHY."

“SO THE LITTLE BUGGER DOESN’T PULL ANYTHING.” It was also a nice reassurance that Stray was alive, safe, and with him.

Stray hummed and chirped an exaggeratedly sweet, "M'lord hasn't put a lock on the knife drawer yet!"

Black looked at Stray. "AND THIS IS WHY YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT OF SIGHT."

Stray just laughed, "I'll remember this next time I hit the junk room." 

Blue raised a brow, "THE WHAT NOW?"

"THE JUNK ROOM. FOR DESTROYING THINGS," Black explained calmly.

"THAT'S...KIND OF A GENIUS IDEA!" Blue replied thinking it over, "PAPPY WOULDN'T THAT BE USEFUL?"

"you feel like destroying stuff?"

"NOT EXACTLY, BUT IF I HAD A PLACE I COULD I'M SURE I'D FIND TONS OF USEFUL THINGS FOR PROJECTS! MAYBE I'LL ASK GRILLBY IF HE HAS A SPOT..."

Honey grinned. "sounds like a plan." He was all for supporting his brother in his projects, whatever they were.

Black nodded petting Stray. "THE JUNK ROOM DOES HAVE A LOT IN IT." He'd even started doing things with the junk that was more than just smash it.

"It's good for a lot of things. Whatcha making?" Stray questioned. 

Blue smiled, "WELL, THAT ISN'T EXACTLY PROPER CONVERSATION FOR COMPANY."

“NOT WEAPONS?”

“well i’m staying out of the room,” Honey decided.

"WHY WOULD I BUILD WEAPONS?" Blue pondered looking to Black, "WE HAVE NATURAL ABILITY FOR THAT! AND BATTLES ARE MUCH MORE SHORT TERM. WE DON'T NEED TO EXPEND NEAR AS MUCH ENERGY FOR A WEAPON AS YOU WOULD TO CONTINUE A PLAYTIME WITH A PARTNER?" 

Stray blinked at the overly hyped Sans, "Can we come over more often?"

Black looked at Stray. "WHY?"

"It's interesting." The bitty shrugged back. 

"FINE." Black looked to Blue. "AGAIN NEXT WEEK?"

Honey stared at the pair in shock. Did he really just agree so easily?

Blue grinned widely, "SURE, IF YOU'RE FINE HANGING OUT, WE ARE!"

“GOOD.” He’d just need to figure out what to actually do during a hangout.

"Cool." Stray nodded and popped over to the table to nab a snack before popping back to his shoulder perch.

Black looked at Blue. "WOULD STRAY BE FREE TO INVESTIGATE FOR AREAS DANGEROUS TO BITTIES?"

"OH, ABSOLUTELY! HE'D KNOW ONE WHEN HE SAW THEM AFTERALL." Blue replied giving the bitty a small grin. 

Stray hummed to himself and nodded, it'd give him a chance to scope things out.

"EXCELLENT." Black grinned to Stray. "HE CAN HELP LOCATE ANYTHING THAT MIGHT NEED CHANGING FOR YOUR BITTY THEN."

"you want to help with that?" Honey was under the impression Black didn't care that much about his bitty being in danger.

Stray shrugged and waved him off, "I got it, stay with your scaley friend. He doesn't seem to care for me much." Then he promptly stuck out his tongue and ran it all the way from clavicle up to as far as he could reach standing on Black, leaving a large swath of magic that spread in his wake. "Gotta take my own advice." 

He popped down to the floor and scrabbled out of sight to go explore.

  
  


“UGH.” Black scrubbed at the licked spot.

Honey looked to Coil, who was now trying to pretend to be fine. Who was embarrassed? Not him! He’s fierce!

Blue watched, bemused with the behavior. Papyrus had been absolutely right to suggest a bitty for Black, it was doing wonders!

Black looked at Blue. “WHAT?”

"HE IS QUITE A HANDFUL ISN'T HE? REALLY HE'S DOING WELL?"

“HE IS. HE’S LEARNING TO MAKE THINGS,” Black boasted.

"OH, THAT'S QUITE USEFUL! YOU MUST LIKE HAVING HIM AROUND."

“YES. HE’S BEEN VERY CONVENIENT,” Black agreed proudly.

"I SEE...AND WHEN HE'S NOT MAKING SOMETHING?"

“AN EXTRA PAIR OF EYES IS NICE.”

"I'VE COME TO REALIZE THAT MYSELF." less so because of any harm, but more because Coil became excited at the sight of Honey and his little happy hissed were quite adorable.

"WHAT DOES YOUR BITTY DO?"

"he gives us treasures." Honey smiled at Coil. The tiny bitty did collect things he liked, and would occasionally grudgingly show them to Honey and Blue, or surprise them with a gift left somewhere.

Blue nodded, "HE DOES! EVEN WHEN I AM FAIRLY CERTAIN IT'S SOMETHING HE'D RATHER KEEP HIMSELF."

"THAT IS VERY USEFUL." Coil hissed. He didn't give them any treasures! He didn't even like them! He wasn't snuggling Honey at all!

Blue just smiled and handed over another little bit of sweetened jerky to Honey for the irritable bitty.

  
  


Honey grinned and cheerfully offered up the jerky. The little hisses turned into contented purrs.

"PAPPY WHY DON'T YOU FIND HIM HIS HEATING PAD? HE'S HAD QUITE A FEW TREATS THROUGH THE DAY, DON'T WANT HIS SYSTEM UPSET."

“that’s true.” Honey stood up. Coil hissed grumpily at being picked up and curled around Honey’s wrist to let himself be carried off.

Blue gave them an indulgent grin, "HE REALLY IS QUITE OPINIONATED. DOES STRAY EVER GET SO PERSNICKETY?"

“STRAY’S REALLY EASY GOING ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT BEING PUT DOWN.”

"DOES HE HAVE TROUBLE MOVING ON HIS OWN?"

“HE’S HEALING.”

"STILL?" Blue questioned. He didn't realize it was that bad of an injury!

“IT’S JUST A COUPLE SCRAPES LEFT, HE CAN MOVE FINE.”

"STILL, SHOULD HE REALLY BE LOOKING AROUND ON HIS OWN?" He fretted.

“OF COURSE. HE’S TOUGH.”

As if summoned Stray returned back to them, "There's only a couple of places that have some cords. Anything smart would leave them alone...though Honeydew over there might wanna clean up his socks."

“it’s decorative,” Honey brushed off.

“WELL DONE,” Black told Stray.

Stray beamed, and promptly popped to the back of Blacks ribs, as the armor made his normal spot inaccessible.

Black stiffened at the touch on the sensitive bone and tried to not move. Blue raised a brow at the other Sans.

“WHAT,” Black hissed. Show no weakness.

Blue blinked, "DO YOU TWO...OFTEN ENGAGE IN THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR?"

Deny it! Flat out deny it! "WHAT BEHAVIOR?"

"the bitty in your ribs," Honey said helpfully.

It was really good Black had such good control over his magic or his entire skull would be purple.

"NAH, USUALLY GET TOSSED OUT BY NOW!" Stray hollered, muffled by the layers.

"I Am Going To Break Your Legs," Black ground out quietly. The reverberations on his ribs had him tempted to shift. Honey snickered at seeing the terrifying Black get owned by a tiny bitty.

"Be my guest, it'll burn for a good long while." Stray hissed back nuzzling his face along the inside of a rib.

Black shifted slightly against the touch, a shiver running through his spine. "I HAVE WORK TO ACCOMPLISH. GOODBYE." He turned around and left the house as fast as he could.

As soon as he was out the door Honey fell over laughing.

"I AM SORELY TEMPTED TO DUMP YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOPPING MALL STILL COVERED IN COIL'S MAGIC." Blue huffed arms crossed, but he was barely containing his giggles himself.

"no way!" Honey quickly protested. Coil hissed and hid back under his coils. He'd forgotten he'd done that. How embarrassing!

Blue nodded, "ALRIGHT, HOW ABOUT WE PUT ON A MOVIE AND RELAX. TAKE OUR MINDS OFF OF IT?"

"after a bath." He needed to clean off the magic if he could.

  
  


Blue nodded, "YOU GO ON AHEAD THEN."


	9. New News

Stray popped out to his hiding spot in the junk room as soon as they entered the house. He had contraband to hide after all!

"STRAY," Sans growled.

He made his way back out of the space once he had dropped off the container. He peered around the corner to and into the main room, "M'lord?"

Black glared at Stray. “IN FRONT OF OTHERS, REALLY?”

Stray blinked, "What? At least I didn't rub myself all down the front of you?"

"YOU'RE BETTER THAN THAT," Sans sniffed.

"Sure, I at least kept it behind clothing! And I didn't do anything bad, honest. Just loved on you with my face a bitty bit."

The worst part was Sans would struggle to clean it off where he'd put it. Sans scowled at the bitty. "STILL, YOU DISTRACTED ME A LOT! NOT SAFE TO BE DISTRACTED LIKE THAT!"

"They weren't gonna do anything." He replied, "Other than make some embarrassing comments."

Sans growled. "YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT."

Stray raised a brow, "Pretty sure I did." He grinned, "We're home safe, can I distract you now?"

"AFTER WHAT YOU DID EARLIER? NO." Sans turned and walked away from the bitty.

Stray shrugged, "Sure, change your mind call me. I'll be ready." The bitty scrambled off back toward the junk room.

* * *

At dinner, Sans continued to keep his distance from Stray. He called the bitty and fed him, but still didn't touch him. He trained outside without telling Stray he was going to do so, and when bedtime came he didn't look for Stray.

Stray pouted a bit, but followed him around, only disappearing for a small bit of time after food and before bed. He did return smelling faintly of something sweet once Sans was settled.

Sans opened his eyes and looked at Stray. "YOU THINK YOU'RE SLEEPING WITH ME?"

Stray gave him a pitiful look, "Why not?"

"YOU GOT YOUR TIME EARLIER AT BLUE AND HONEY'S, REMEMBER?" Sans asked faux sweetly.

Stray pouted, "Oh come on, I left you alone when you were upset. You can't  _ still _ be mad at me for liking being close to you."

"I'M NOT UPSET ABOUT YOU WANTING TO BE CLOSE TO ME." He was mad that Stray thought playing jungle gym on his very sensitive ribs was a good idea in public.

Stray sighed and crawled up next to Sans face, gently nuzzling him, "I don't get it but 'm sorry."

"MY RIBS ARE SENSITIVE," Sans told Stray. He gently patted him.

Stray nodded, "Well yeah, so are mine...but..." he shrugged.

"SO DON'T TOUCH THEM WHEN WE'RE OUT. I NEED TO STAY FOCUSED."

Stray pouted, "Fine, I can try."

"GOOD." Sans nuzzled Stray. He smelled oddly good tonight.

Stray purred and slipped down to take up his usual spot. Sans prevented him from moving, keeping him scooped close to nuzzle at him. "YOU SMELL GOOD."

Stray blinked looking at himself and muttered, "Hu, I thought I got it off..."

"GOT WHAT OFF?" Sans snapped to alert and stopped nuzzling Stray. What had he done now?

Stray gave him a sheepish grin, "Just ummm a little slick stuff."

Oh, ugh. He was being drawn in by the scent of whatever Stray had used to have sex with. Sans grimaced and resolved to stop nuzzling Stray.

Stray snickered, "It's cool though for sure something that didn't come from a store. Works too good."

"WHERE ON EARTH DID YOU GET SOMETHING LIKE THAT?"

Stray was quiet for a second, "The Blueberry outta keep the rooms locked if he doesn't want things missing."

Sans snickered. "I SEE."

Stray grinned at the laugh, "I can go get it if you wanna give it a try."

Sans blinked. Pleasure was something he had the luxury to experiment with now. "LATER." Perhaps in a few days. He'd want to see how he responded to pleasure alone first.

Stray nodded then splayed himself out over Sans sternum and ribs snuggling down. Sans resisted the urge to nuzzle Stray more and closed his eyes to rest. Stray nuzzled his face against Sans' sternum, "Hey..." he murmured quietly, "it's later."

Sans snorted. "I MEANT IN A FEW DAYS."

"I know," he sighed, "was worth a try though."

Sans grinned and booped Stray. "NICE TRY."

Stray bared tiny little fangs at the boop, playfully growling. Sans swiped at Stray gently with his claws. Stray didn't bother to move, letting the swipe cause little scratches with a rumbling purr.

"TROUBLE," Sans purred back.

"Could make it my middle name." Stray grinned gently scratching back with a single claw. Sans nudged Stray with his hand claws gently tickling Stray.

Stray gasped out a laugh and tried to curl away, "NO!"

“FEAR IT MWEHEHE!” Sans continued to tickle the bitty.

Stray squirmed flailing and laughing hysterically. "NO FAIR!"

“SUFFER!” Sans smiled. Watching Stray flail around and laugh was so cute. He loved it.

Tears gathered and he wheezed out an, "I AM!"

Sans scooped Stray up and nuzzled him, pressing his magic into the other bitty in a shallow mark. Stray went near completely limp, panting between the tickling and the sudden magic pressed to him. He gave Sans a dazed look, eye-lights gazing between normal and tiny hearts. Sans smiled at Stray and curled protectively around the other, closing his eyes to rest. Stray pressed back to Sans clinging to the larger monster as he tried, mostly in vain, to calm down.

* * *

Sans had waited until Stray had decided to head to the junk room. He knew there was no reason to be nervous. He was safe. But experimenting with himself still had him uneasy. He sat down on the bed in just a shirt and briefs, and slowly slid a hand over his bones. Where felt nice?

It was hard to focus. He kept feeling self-conscious about the scars on his bones and how vulnerable he was. Being in the bedroom helped him look past that, but it still felt strange to try and drop his guard this far. Sans let out a soft sound of pleasure when he found a nice spot inside his ulnar bone that felt nice to touch. He slowly rubbed the sensitive spot enjoying it.

Stray padded quietly down the hallway, he needed to borrow a tool for this project. He paused just at the edge of the door when he heard...a very particular noise. He peeked just briefly and then ducked back around to just listen.

Sans gave a soft hum of pleasure as he touched his ribs. They’d always been sensitive. He was used to seeing it as a weak spot to protect and freaked at them being touched. Right now though it just sent light tingles of pleasure through him, the same he got when cuddling Stray. It was really nice. Sans took his time enjoying the touches. He wasn’t going to go far today. Just being able to feel the pleasure of the touch was nice.

Stray peeked again, confused as to why things weren't quite- progressing? Not that this wouldn't give him fodder for a while, it certainly would!

Sans sat on the bed looking at peace as he gently touched his femur. Another light sound of pleasure escaped him and he smiled faintly. He touched a scar and immediately pulled away from it. That point was too sensitive, it almost hurt. Stray frowned at that, ok so there was a no-touch.

Sans kept up the languid touches for a while longer. He liked the touches on his collarbone where Stray rested, that felt nice. A touch on his bottom spine was nice too, but only if done right. Sans slowly stretched himself out and smiled. He got up to find Stray to cuddle.

Stray leaned back off the wall, he was up and moving. Hhhmmm that was...unusual.

Sans opened the door and tensed as he sensed Stray. He looked at the bitty sharply, looking for any admission that he’d seen what he shouldn’t have.

Stray just peered back at him, "We got a flathead anywhere I could nic?"

Sans relaxed and picked Stray up. “YES.” He headed to where his kit for healing traps were and got out a flathead screwdriver. “HERE.”

Stray took the tool, it was nearly the same length as he was. "Thanks. You ok? Been kinda quiet."

“YES.” Sans hesitated, before forging forward. He trusted Stray. “I WANTED TO TRY SOMETHING.”

"Oh?" He tried not to look too interested in what Sans was saying.

“I WANTED TO SEE IF TOUCH COULD FEEL GOOD. NOT JUST NEUTRAL.”

"Of course it can, you just gotta do it right!" Stray shrugged, "I kinda assume most people don't like it when they cut themselves, or someone scratches them. Works for me though!"

Sans nodded and nuzzled Stray. "IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT."

"Neat, this is why we don't lock the knife drawer." He joked back leaning into the nuzzling.

"YOU SHOULD BE LETTING ME BE THE ONE TO SCAR YOU," Sans scolded lightly.

"Last time we talked about this type of thing you turned me down." He pointed out.

Sans grumbled. He didn't like the thought of Stray getting scars from the knives.

"Changing your mind?" The bitty replied offhandedly.

"I DO NOT WANT TO HELP YOU HAVE SEX." That could be disastrous and ruin what they had.

Stray cackled, "And you think it'd be any less of a sensation from you than from a knife? Or are you suggesting I bring someone else in?"

"SOMEONE WHO CAN GIVE YOU MORE THAN I CAN," Sans agreed.

Stray stopped and looked him in the face, "They don't exist."

Sans laughed. That was a good one. He knew he lacked a lot. Just compare him to the other versions of himself! Stray hissed and very purposefully dropped the screwdriver to make a clatter, "For once, I am not joking."

Sans looked at Stray just as seriously. "YOU ARE AWARE I HAVE TROUBLE GOING OUT AND INTERACTING WITH OTHERS."

"That's kind of a given by now."

"SOMEONE ELSE COULD GIVE YOU MORE OF THAT."

"Do I look like I'm hurting for that?" He questioned, "You're the one that drug me out to the bitty shop, and you knew the other skeletons before me."

“ONLY BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTIONING EXPERIMENT.” Sans looked at Stray. “JUST DON’T TURN OTHERS AWAY LIKE I DO.”

"I'll interact with who I _stars damned_ want and if that means you then you'll just have to get over it!" Stray snarked.

Sans hugged Stray, his gratitude for the bitty’s devotion loud and clear. Stray scrabbled up to press his face against Sans'.

“LET’S WATCH TV.” Sans knew Stray would recognize it as the excuse it was to stay close.

Stray tilted his skull and peered at him for a moment, then grinned, "Sure."

Sans settled them down on the couch watching a cooking show and aggressively cuddling Stray. Stray purred noisily, content to be enveloped in the aura from the larger monster.

“NOISY,” Sans teased. “YOU’RE DROWNING OUT THE SHOW.” Not that he cared one bit. Stray just pushed up a bit to lick his chin in retaliation.

“REALLY?” Sans wiped at his chin.

"Could be worse." Stray shrugged, almost a mini push up.

“YOU ARE A DISASTER.”

"Mmmmm but I'm your disaster."

“TRUE.” Sans nuzzled Stray. He’d lick the bitty but he knew Stray would get the wrong impression if he did. Stray grinned and clacked his fangs to Sans' jawline. He'd have to move to get the other's mouth, and he was not risking losing his spot and causing ire in his direction in one fell swoop. Sans did his best to nip Stray back without crushing him.  Stray gave him another wide-eyed look, slightly confused by the reception.  Sans blinked back at Stray innocently.

Stray pouted, "That's not fair."

"WHAT'S NOT FAIR?"

"When I do that you get all huffy."

"WHEN YOU NIP ME?"

Stray made a soft noncommittal noise. 

Sans tilted his head. "I LET YOU NIP ME THIS TIME."

"That wasn't-" he frowned then shrugged.

Sans looked confused now.

Stray thought for a second then repeated the little clacking, pushing a heavy affectionate intent with it, then he nipped afterward. Sans repeated his own nuzzle and nip. Stray gave him another confused glance and settled back into his spot. Well, he had no idea what that was about, but Sans turned his attention back to the show.  Stray scooted back just far enough to tug the shirt up over his head like a blanket and settled to think about things.

* * *

Sans washed the dishes in the sink planning out his next meal. He was going to try and make a stir fry. That seemed relatively simple.  Stray dried and popped the dishes back and forth to their places. He popped from the cabinet to Sans shoulders planting a foot on either side of his neck and nuzzling just at the base of the larger monster's skull.  Sans tensed slightly, not relaxing until Stray moved away from that spot again. He turned to nuzzle Stray in return.

Stray grinned, "Thinkin' awful hard there. Gonna crease your face."

"VERY FUNNY." Sans grinned at Stray and flicked him before turning back to the dishes.

"I am," he purred and slipped back into the previous position to nip at the back of a vertebra, "you're just too sour."

Sans flinched. Ok, so that was a no. He nuzzled at the spot gently in apology.

Sans waited until Stray moved back away from that spot before relaxing. Where had that come from? "STRAY?"

"Hm?"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"Why?"

"YOU AREN'T NORMALLY THIS..." How would he describe it?

"Well, maybe I should be." The bitty countered.

Sans stayed silent, unsure how to respond to that. Stray slid down his arm to finish off the plate in his hand, "I'll take that."

"MAKING YOURSELF USEFUL HUH?"

"I've always been useful, you just have to notice." He shot back with a grin.

"BRATTY PEST."

"And yet I'm finishing where you were slacking off." He teased back, popping the plate to its spot.

Sans cracked a chuckle at that and went back to scrubbing.


	10. Gangsta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short one this time!

Stray was never very good at sleeping. He could drift into and out of cat naps seemingly at the drop of a hat. But good restful sleep was few and far between. This was just one of those nights he couldn't seem to fall the fuck to sleep. So he busied himself with carefully seeing how many areas he could lightly press his claws to without waking the bigger monster.

Touching the front of Sans' chest was fine. Touching his collarbone got a slight jolt before Sans seemed to settle back down. In the dark Sans quietly tracked Stray as he crawled all over him, enjoying the odd sensation of the small bitty crawling on him. He shifted when Stray strayed towards some more sensitive areas, like the inner parts of his bones, but mostly enjoyed it.

Stray paused each time he caused the larger monster to shift about, typically running a hand doused in soothing intent along a 'safe' space.

Sans felt himself starting to relax and drop off as Stray explored. A half-formed purr was the last thing before he dropped off into sleep.

Stray paused at a small scar, out of curiosity he focused on intent to fix and traced a claw of her. It was so tiny, not even the width of his own finger... How many of these did his Lord have? Hundreds? The tiny scar slowly smoothed out and healed.

Huh, he really hadn't expected that to work. Looked like he had a new can't sleep hobby though.

* * *

Sans woke up feeling better than normal the next morning. He grinned widely scooping Stray up to shower together. Stray startled at the sudden movement and clung to Sans. He grumbled but snuggled back against him and waited to be moved again. Sans clicked at Stray and nuzzled him. Stray yawned and patted Sans without turning his face away from where he was snuggled against the larger monster.

Sans started up the shower and basked in it. His day was starting perfectly. The water was the perfect temperature, he slept great, and he had Stray with him.

Oh, the shower, Stray jolted again at the water, burrowing his face against Sans to try and ward it out. How was the other always so chipper in the mornings? They were for sleeping!

  
  


Sans grinned at Stray and carefully toweled Stray off when he got out. Stray grinned back lazily and licked a stripe up Sans' sternum. Served him right for being so cheery.

  
  


“UGH.” Sans cleaned off the licked area and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Toast seemed like a good idea.

Stray snickered, "What don't like the thirsty jokes?"

“I AM NOT CONSUMABLE.”

"Oh, I could make a huge argument for that. Bet I could call a witness to back me up to."

“WHO WOULD HELP YOU WITH THAT ARGUMENT?”

"Someone who looks an awful lot like you do."

Sans laughed. “RED AND LOCAL WOULDN’T HELP YOU. AND I DON’T SEE BLUE EYEING ME UP.”

Stray snickered, "Well we did already know you're blind. But he would know judging from his house."

“WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU FIND?”

"A lot of things I had to look up what they were for."

“REALLY?”

What did Blue have that was so exotic?

Stray shrugged, "They sure don't widely make restraint systems like that for bitties. Or internal reaching tails."

Sans took a moment to figure out why someone would want a tail to go inside them. “OH.” He flushed and concentrated on prepping the bread and getting out the butter and jam.

"Pretty sure the one that tried to fit onto my arm was supposed to be a cock ring. Bet it could be tweaked a little and actually work."

“ON YOUR ARM?” That was small. Sans sniggered.

"Couldn't shrink down enough, but I bet the same principle applies. My point stands, he'd side with me on your consumption."

Sans shook his head.

"Don't burn stuff being all distracted." Stray pointed out.

"IT'S TOAST. IT DOESN'T BURN." The toaster popped and Sans smirked at Stray.

"If you say so." Stray clacked his face to Sans cheek again, nuzzling briefly.

Sans smiled and buttered the toast. He offered one to Stray. Stray purred taking the piece to nibble at. Sans added jam to his own and munched at it in satisfaction. "I'M GOING TO SEE THE IDIOTS TODAY."

"Which ones would that be?"

Sans cracked a grin. "A GROUP OF HUMANS THAT PAY ME HANDSOMELY TO AVOID ME EXPRESSING MY DISPLEASURE."

"So you're a gangsta?" He snickered.

"PLEASE. I AM FAR ABOVE THOSE LOWLIFES," Sans sniffed.

"M'kay Mista J." He teased, "Am I coming with?"

"IF YOU WANT. JUST BE CAREFUL. THEY DON'T CARE FOR MONSTERS."

"Hm, but they respect you?"

"THEY FEAR WHAT I'LL DO TO THEM IF I FIND THEM DOING SOMETHING I DON'T LIKE."

"I'll come."

"NO GOOFING OFF. I'D RATHER NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH CLEANING UP ANY MESSES. HUMANS ARE DISGUSTING WHEN DEAD."

"Hhhmmm really?"

"YES. IT'S TERRIBLE." He had been shocked when the human had failed to dust before remembering humans were physical. The leftover mess had been terrible to get rid of. Sans had gotten better at handling it, but it was still nasty.

Stray nuzzled at him again, "Alright I'll try."

Sans petted Stray and went to get his armor. He double-checked it was in good condition, and headed out with Stray.

It was a good couple of hours before they reached a bar. Sans entered the place. Only humans were inside. There weren't many considering it was daytime. They looked up with scowls at the new arrival, only to shrink down in their seats as it registered just who it was who had arrived.

Stray watched their faces and kept his laughter himself, people were really legitimately afraid of his Lord. He really did need to step up.

Sans strutted to the bar and smirked at the man back there. He frowned back at him. "SO. YOU'RE LATE."

"Not that late."

"WHAT'S THIS? YOU'RE MOUTHING BACK TO ME?"

The bartender flinched. "Geez, I'll get it!" He almost tripped over himself heading to the back. Sans scanned the room and selected a human. He waved him over.

"TELL ME. HOW IS BUSINESS RECENTLY?"

"Good," the man muttered.

"NO INCIDENCES? NOTHING I SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO?"

The man sweated. "No! We've kept ourselves clean of that, we swear."

"GOOD. WE WOULDN'T WANT ANOTHER MESS TO CLEAN UP." The man looked sick.

Stray looked around, was there anything actually interesting? Useful? He was also very sorely tempted to steal a shot glass, it would make a decent tumblr size to him.

Stray popped to the bar-top, he glanced around casually. This was a new place, after all, he should be finding his way around.

A human noticed him and watched him with a disgusted sneer.

Stray hummed a bright tune and flipped the bird to the human. He strolled along the bar top pausing briefly to study the area.

The human silently reached out to try and snatch Stray to crush him.

Before he could get to the bitty Stray had both popped out of the way and impaled the hand with a half dozen sharp bones. He picked up a shot glass testing the weight of it.

The man swore. Sans came over slowly to examine the impaled hand. "LOVELY WORK, MY PET," Sans praised. "AND WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM THIS?"

"You filthy freak!" the man spat.

"NOW, THAT'S NOT VERY NICE." Sans summoned a sharpened bone and proceeded to cut off the hand that Stray hadn't pinned.

Stray watched with his skull tilted. So that's what he had meant by messy, no dust, but liquid.... interesting.

The man screamed. Sans purred. He looked around the bar. "ANYONE ELSE HAVE AN OPINION THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT MY PET?" The humans shifted uneasily. Sans savored the fear in the air. He pointed to one. "HOW ABOUT YOU?"

"He's...charming?" the man tried. Sans laughed.

Stray cackled, "Aw flatter. I see why you keep them around M'Lord."

"SOMETIMES I DO WONDER IF IT'D BE EASIER TO JUST REMOVE THEM THAN KEEP CLEANING UP AFTER THE MESSES THEY MAKE," Sans sighed dramatically. He gestured to the dripping blood.

Stray poked the toe of his shoe at one of the blood drops, "Dunno it's kinda a neat color. Makes a cool aesthetic."

Sans held out his hand for Stray to climb up as the bartender came back out. He cursed at seeing the injured man. "I got the money." He held out a briefcase to Sans. He opened it and carefully counted through. The bartender fidgeted.

Stray waved with a little grin, balancing the shot glass on the other hand.

The bartender clearly wanted to say something but didn't dare to with the visual reminder of why they'd started paying Sans off. Sans smiled cheerfully. "THAT'S ENOUGH FOR THIS TIME. I'LL EVEN BE GENEROUS AND TAKE A BOTTLE OF YOUR WINE SINCE I'M IN SUCH A GOOD MOOD FROM MY PET. YOU SHOULD THANK HIM."

"Thanks," the bartender mumbled in Stray's direction. He passed over a bottle. Sans studied it critically and nodded. High quality. He turned around and strode back out. "OH, AND MAKE SURE THAT MESS IS CLEANED UP BEFORE I RETURN," Sans said casually gesturing to the bleeding man.

Stray snickered as soon as they got out of the building, "Oh geez they hate your nonexistent guts."

"FOR GIVING THEM PURPOSE IN THEIR MISERABLE EXISTENCE?" WHAT A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY," Sans said dryly.

Stray just tucked the shot glass into an inventory space and snuggled into Sans neck, "They can keep missing the mark, more for me."

Sans grinned. When they got home he entered the junk room and destroyed some things before going out back to stretch and train with his scythe. Stray followed him about, watching appreciatively as he went about the training.


	11. Another Body

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some cuteness to make up for the short last time!

Stray had taken to exploring around the neighborhood at night when he didn't think he could do healing work on his Lord without waking him. This particular night he slipped from the bed and made his way outside and down the street. Night walks helped calm him, and if he happened to find something he could potentially higher his own LV with- alls the better. Tonight though, he stopped at the garden one of the prissy ladies grew. Hhhmmm it worked in the movies. He quickly nabbed a bloom with a decent amount of stem and brought it back. He left it on the pillow next to Sans and decided to start on making something for breakfast. 

Sans woke up his senses stretching out to see if anything had changed while he'd slept. Finding Stray missing and a flower on his pillow had him rocketing up, magic boiling to the surface as he scanned for traces of an intruder. No, that was Stray's magic on the flower. Sans slowly calmed down and picked up the flower examining it. The blossom was delicate, and close in color to Sans's own magic. The flower was nice, if puzzling. Sans carried it with him out of the room as he looked around the house. The smell of cooking drew him to the kitchen. “STRAY?” He hadn’t known Stray could manage cooking.

  
  


Downstairs Stray had managed some sort of mixed hash with potatoes and ham cubes, the hardest part was getting the pan evenly heated, it was a pain to get centered correctly, and he felt it had to be just so. The bitty looked over his shoulder where he was seated on top of a Sugar container allowing him to see into the pan, "That time already?"

Sans shrugged and held out the flower. "A FLOWER?" he asked.

"Yep, a flower. Pretty thing for a pretty person." Stray quipped back leaning forward to stir with the oversized spatula.

"I'M NOT JUST DECORATIVE." Sans admired the flower again before putting it down.

"I didn't say that did I? Said pretty, not decorative."

Considering how staying pretty had been a matter of being weak and taken care of where he'd grown up, it was the same to him. Who else could afford to luxuriate in their looks than someone protected by someone else? He had earned his scars.

But this wasn't his world.

Sans gave a small smile and petted Stray. "AS MUCH AS MY PET IS."

Stray grinned and pressed the back of his hand to his sockets, "So you think I'm pretty? Well, I just don't know how to respond to that good sir!"

"CHEEKY." Sans flicked Stray's head and looked at the pan. "THAT'S BREAKFAST?" It smelled decent.

"An attempt, never really done the cooking solids thing before?"

“LET’S SEE HOW IT IS THEN.” Sans served it up.

Stray shrugged and popped over to his shoulder.

Sans tasted the hash. It was decent, good for a first try.

"HERE." Sans offered some to Stray.

Stray tucked himself against Sans neck and plucked a piece of potato out of the larger monster's hand.

Sans grinned and kept eating. “YOU DID WELL.”

Stray purred, rubbing his face against Sans. Sans nuzzled Stray back.

"What's the plans today?"

“TRAINING IN THE MORNING, THEN CHECKING PLANS FOR POTENTIAL OUTINGS.”

Stray nodded, "Sounds decent."

He thought Stray would approve of him taking steps to spend more time out of the house. Sans grinned.

Stray grinned then licked up the corner of Sans's mouth before popping to the floor, "Give me two shakes though."

"UGH." Sans wiped at his mouth. "DO YOU HAVE TO LICK ME?"

Stray grinned, "Would you rather something else?"

"DO I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'D DO INSTEAD?"

"Tell me when you figure it out."

Sans looked at Stray in puzzlement. Stray snickered and scrambled off to the junk room, he had something to test while his Lord worked out his kinks for the day.

He returned a few moments later and popped back to Sans shoulder, "Miss me?"

"YOU PEST, YOU WEREN'T GONE THAT LONG," Sans teased.

"Breakin' my heart, love." He schmoozed.

Stray couldn't really mean that. His breath hitched slightly. Sans did his best to nuzzle Stray, accidentally rubbing against him hard enough to knock him off balance. Stray chuckled and clung to Sans' shirt to keep from completely falling off, "That's a better greeting."

“BRAT.” Sans grinned at Stray. “DECIDED YOU WANTED TO ADMIRE ME WHILE I TRAIN?”

"Don't I always admire you?" He quipped back.

Sans grinned widely and headed to the yard. He trusted Stray to jump off to a good vantage point and began to train.

"I always do." the bitty murmured to himself slipping off and moving a bit so he could record the larger monster at work.

Sans found that he enjoyed training now that he didn’t have to dedicate every minute that he could to it in order to survive. It felt good to push his limits and stretch himself as far as he could. When he finally stopped it was with a large smile of satisfaction. He looked for Stray to scoop up the bitty for lunch.

Stray watched the larger monster, completely entranced, he moved a few times for better angles. Eventually, he stumbled a bit and just stayed still from them on out. Once Sans was done he came back to his feet, nearly tumbling again. Why was he so damned tired? He hadn't done anything! He ducked back into plain sight managing to stay on his feet, just barely and waved lazily at the larger monster.

Sans frowned and picked up the small bitty. He didn’t look good. “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?”

Stray blinked, "Just tired." He nestled himself into Sans' hand with a light purr, happily basking in the closer presence.

“HOW ARE YOU SO TIRED?” Was he sick? Sans immediately Checked Stray, and just suppressed the urge to yell at Stray and possibly break some of his bones to get the point across. Now was not the time for that. He concentrated on pulling his magic to the surface and letting it linger there for Stray to soak in.

Stray shrugged nuzzling at the claws he was nestled in, "Probably just lack of sleep catching up with me."

“YOU STRUGGLE WITH SLEEP?”

"Sometimes?" Ok,  _ a lot _ but it had always been that way.

Sans nodded quietly thinking of ways to drug Stray into sleep. He walked into the house and pulled out the ingredients for the most nutrient-packed meal he could manage.

Stray slipped down as carefully as he could, he needed to go check on how the camera had done. He was not cutting it off until he had seen that it saved correctly from that distance.

“WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” Sans barked.

"Be right back." He half whined scrabbling along. He kept losing balance, nearly tipping sideways in his haste to actually get back to the phone.

Sans seized Stray with blue magic and pulled him back. “TELL ME WHAT YOU’RE DOING RIGHT NOW.”

Stray let out a yelp not having sensed the magic coming at him, "Gotta check on something."

“AND IS THIS SOMETHING WHY YOU’RE LOW ON MAGIC?”

Stray blinked and froze, "I don't think so?" 

But it was the only new thing...so maybe? "Um, can I go? Maybe turn it off?"

“WHY DON’T I GO WITH YOU,” Sans said sweetly through baring his fangs.

Stray narrowed his eyes, "Cause I know you'll mess with my results."

“SO YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING I WON’T LIKE. SOMETHING THAT DRAINS YOUR MAGIC.”

"No? And I don't know?" He titled his skull, "It's just the first test run, don't wanna be distracted you know?"

“FINE.” Sans let Stray go from the magic hold. He’d just track the bitty.

The bitty narrowed his gaze, "No touching?"

“NO TOUCHING.” Unless he decided he needed to destroy it.

Stray still didn't look like he particularly believed him. "Junk room." He muttered.

Sans nodded and carefully carried Stray to the junk room. Stray squirmed to be let down as best he could, tiring easily. Sans carefully put Stray down monitoring the bitty.

The bitty took a second to find his balance before heading into the mass of things to get to his little section of...the word organized in organized chaos was a little too strong.

Sans was trying his best to be patient and not pick Stray up. Waiting for Stray to solve it was difficult when he was used to acting on his problems. He stalked patiently along until they reached the area that Stray worked in.

Stray pulled himself over to the phone working his little hands around the screen checking to make sure things had transmitted correctly. He stopped the feed staring at the numbers on the screen, started it up, and made a little gesture then nodded as the numbers moved again. Cool, it seemed like it was working. He'd have to really go over the footage later, when things weren't draining him so steadily. He gently pried the camera from its hiding space and tucked it into a different little pile from the phone turning back to the larger monster, swaying a bit on his feet again.

"THE GADGET'S TURNED OFF?" It looked like a phone, but phones didn't run like that, so it had to be a phone that Stray had modified to do something else.

Stray grinned and nodded (tipping a bit when he did so), "Off and looks like it worked so we're good."

"YOU'LL SOLVE WHATEVER PROBLEM CAUSED THIS BEFORE USING IT AGAIN," Sans growled. He picked Stray up again pumping out magic for the bitty.

Stray nodded snuggling into his hand, "I'll get stronger." 

_ He was already working on that anyway. _

  
  


"AND NOT DO STUPID THINGS THAT DRAIN YOU?" Sans pushed.

"Can try. Didn't even notice at first." He shrugged.

Sans grumbled about the stupid uselessness of idiots who did pointless things that could kill them as he wandered to the couch and focused his magic on looking after Stray. Stray scooched into his favorite spot burrowing in with a purr.

“I HAD PLANS YOU KNOW,” Sans told Stray grumpily.

Stray hummed, "To do what?"

“TO STUDY THE LAYOUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.”

The bitty blinked at him, "Soooo go for a walk?"

“NOT WITH YOU IN THIS CONDITION.”

"'M fine, just tired. Can still watch for things."

“NO.” He was not letting anyone see Stray weak, and he was not leaving Stray alone like this.

Stray frowned, "What's up in that head of yours?"

“THAT I’VE TIED MYSELF TO AN IDIOT.”

Stray leaned up on hands and knees, falling once when an arm didn't hold. He leaned forward and clacked his teeth to Sans' jawline. Sans growled grumpily at Stray shifting so the bitty was cradled better. “REST.”

Stray purred repeating the little gesture a few more times, "I am."

“NO, YOU’RE WRIGGLING ALL OVER.”

"Close enough."

Sans sighed and trapped Stray under his hand against his chest. Stray squirmed around until he could reach to wrap his arms around the fingers nuzzling just shy of the claws. Sans let out a purr at Stray trying to coax him into relaxing under the heavy hold. Stray purred back clutching the fingers around him as he wavered in and out of sleep. Eventually, he passed out cold, likely the best thing he'd managed for self-care all day.

“THERE WE GO.” Sans grinned in triumph at the passed out bitty. Sitting here watching Stray sleep was boring, and he itched to move. Sans wouldn’t move an inch. He had Stray finally resting, and he’d make sure Stray woke up feeling better.

* * *

Stray rolled in his sleep, nearly falling off his current perch with a still drowsy curse.

Sans carefully caught Stray and gently put him back to where he’d been previously petting his spine.

Stray stretched arching into the hand on him with a loud purr, "Time?"

“ALMOST TIME FOR DINNER.” Sans yawned.

Stray tilted his skull, "I can do it."

“NO.” Sans glared at Stray. “YOU JUST RECOVERED.” He stood up and headed to the kitchen to make a small meal.

Stray clung to the larger monster, threading his fingers into gaps between ribs. "And you need to."

“I’M FINE.” Tired, but he’d dealt with worse.

Stray climbed himself up until he was balanced on Sans clavicle hands on the larger monster's face, "I don't know if I should kiss you again or slap some fucking sense into you. Hurry up and go to bed."

“AFTER WE EAT,” Sans said dodgedly. If he slept without eating he wouldn’t recover as well. He started to slap together a sandwich.

Stray frowned and made a little noise of discontent before clacking his fangs to Sans with a clear aura of worry, and dropped down to cling to his spot again.

Sans smiled. “IT’S FINE.” He tore off some of the sandwich to offer to Stray.

Stray grumbled and took the piece with a halfhearted glare. Not moving fast enough.

Sans sat down tiredly and munched on his sandwich. It helped perk him up enough that he forced himself to stand and head to the bedroom rather than napping at the table.

He settled comfortably into bed. “STAY WITH ME,” Sans ordered.

Stray nestled the blanket into his preferred spot radiating affection, "Of course M'lord."

Sans watched Stray. He seemed earnest. He nodded and laid down, letting himself crash.

Stray hummed going back to scouring around for anything he could potentially heal, he was getting better at it as he worked more. Still not great but better.

* * *

Sans had stayed glued to Stray for days. No letting him wander in the junk room and no training that Stray couldn’t stay on him for. The build-up of his magic needed a release.

And he had just the idea how. Sans took a breath and nervously worked on summoning his ecto body. He knew he could do it. He had vague memories of having done it a couple of times in the past. Now he just needed to actually do it  _ currently _ .

The body that formed was gloriously toned. Sans’ build would make one think he’d have fat on him, but there wasn’t a single speck of it visible on the dark purple body. Sans stretched examining how it looked on him. It felt so very different. Sensations touching him were entirely new.

Stray had used the time to go check and watch through the video footage from the other day. It was perfectly fine, he just needed to figure out how to not pass out using the camera. That solved, he wandered back to find the larger monster, and nearly fell completely apart when he managed to stumble onto what was going on. He ducked back out of sight again and stopped breathing before he started making noise.

Sans stood up, stretched, and put on his clothes. He grimaced. That fit tighter than usual. “STRAY?”

Stray waited just a few seconds to get his mind reeled back in, "Yeah?"

"WOULD YOU COME HERE?" Sans tugged on his shirt with a grimace.

Stray slunk into the room,  _ keep it together _ .

"I...TRIED SOMETHING. WHAT DO YOU THINK."

Stray blinked at him, was this a trap? This had to be some sort of trap. He- "You'll wanna keep me out of the bed for a bit. Might give that original challenge a go." 

_ Stupid mouth _ .

Sans took a moment to process that before flushing. "THAT WAS NOT WHAT I WAS ASKING AT ALL!" He fidgeted awkwardly unable to look at Stray.

Stray tilted his head, "Then about...?"

"DOES THE BODY LOOK FORMED RIGHT, AND DO YOU THINK I NEED BIGGER CLOTHES FOR THIS FORM," Sans muttered while still not looking at him.

Stray skittered across the floor to him, "Do you like it?"

Sans studied his body and gently touched the formed flesh. "IT'S VERY DIFFERENT."

"Give yourself time to get used to it? If ya like it then it's fine." Stray replied, latching his claws into the other’s clothing enough to hoist himself up, "I like it."

Sans shivered as the claws pressed into his flesh. "THAT FEELS VERY DIFFERENT."

Stray paused at the shiver and nuzzled his face into the other, "Yeah it does."

"DO YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE AN ECTO FORM TOO?"

Stray blinked, "Sure, ain't hard-" he paused to snicker, "most of the time anyway."

"AH, SO YOU'VE DONE IT LOTS."

"Mmmm more often than you apparently?"

"IS IT THAT OBVIOUS?"

"I've never seen it before today?"

"AH." Sans nodded. "I HAVEN'T FORMED IT IN YEARS."

"I'd say do it more..." he shrugged he'd already let his opinion be known, consequences be damned.

"EVEN IF IT MEANS SLEEPING IN THE CAGE?" Sans shot Stray a sly look.

Stray looked him over visibly weighing the pros and cons, "Just sleeping?"

"JUST SLEEPING."

"Then sure, go for it."

Sans nodded and pulled on his shirt again. "I MIGHT NEED NEW CLOTHES. THIS IS VERY TIGHT."

"Looks fine to me." Stray purred, pressing himself closer to Sans.

Sans snorted and scratched Stray's spine. "YOU WOULD THINK THAT."

"You really wanna stop that right about now." Stray muttered forlornly.

Sans nodded. “RIGHT.” He moved on to just shifting his body and testing how that felt.

Stray sighed and popped himself over to the bed to watch where he wouldn't lose what little self-control he was clutching to.

  
  


It was certainly different. Sensations translated differently to the soft flesh than it did to his bones. He found that his scars didn't transfer over, though he could still feel them under it.

Eventually Sans tired of it and decided to go and cook. He didn’t quite want to let go of the formed body yet, still practicing with it, but he certainly couldn’t train in this shape.

Stray stayed back, he would have to wear himself down before he touched the larger monster again, or he was for sure going to scare him off with the amount of crazy running through him right now. He could... go rewatch the training video. Yeah...yeah and maybe his mind could sub in some of that form he had managed before the shirt came on.


	12. Theres A Book For That?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, look, honest conversation!

Stray looked expectantly at the soft copy of his Lord from his perch on the coffee table. 

"EXCUSE ME?" 

"I want advice on how to get him to agree to-" 

"NO, I UNDERSTOOD. I JUST- HAS HE BEEN RECEPTIVE TO ANY PRIOR ADVANCES?" 

"Kinda?" The bitty replied, making a so-so motion.

Blue gave the bitty a raised brow and plopped onto the floor to hash out details about what was going on. 

"I- WELL LIQUID MAGIC CERTAINLY IS EDIBLE SO YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUT AT LEAST PART OF IT." Blue chirped giggling.

Honey was looking for Coil when he heard his brother's laugh. He paused and headed towards the living room to find out what was going on.

"IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE DOING THINGS AS BEST YOU CAN FOR TWO BEINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ACTIVE WITH PARTNERS BEFORE. THOUGH GIVEN SIZE DIFFERENCES... I AM ALMOST LOATHE TO SAY SOUL CONTACT MAY BEST YOUR BEST OPTION." 

Stray folded his arms and gave Blue a  _ look _ , he was fairly certain that wasn't going to fly. 

"I KNOW, HE'S NOT VERY OPEN IS HE?" Blue replied to the expression on the bitty’s face.

_ Soul contact? _ Honey mouthed that to himself. Who was Blue talking to about that? He peeked in and spotted Stray.

Stray huffed, "He's getting better." 

"I'M SURE HE IS. BUT TO A PHYSICAL POINT? OR AN EMOTIONAL ONE?"

Ah. The bitty must have decided he needed advice in dealing with Black. Honey nodded sagely to himself. His bro was good to ask for that.

"I gave him a flower-" 

"YES SO YOU'VE SAID." 

"This is hard." The bitty whined. 

"DO NOT START PUNNING AT ME. I WILL NEGATE ANY HELP I COULD POSSIBLY BE. AND DON'T THINK I DIDN'T NOTICE MY MISSING CONTAINER OF LUBE." 

"It smells nice?" 

Blue sighed, "THANK YOU, I'LL PASS THAT ALONG NEXT TIME I SEE GRILLBY. THE FLAVOR WAS HIS IDEA."

Honey choked. He did not need to hear these details about his brother! He let out a tiny whimper.

Stray hummed, "Could you do a strawberry one?" 

"I ALREADY HAVE. I'LL GRAB A TUBE FOR YOU BEFORE YOU GO. BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST, GO SLOW. BE SURE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU PLAN AND BE BLUNT AND DELIBERATE ABOUT IT. FLIRTING WILL ONLY GET YOU SO FAR WITH SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T FLIRT BACK."

Honey tried to back up and tripped. Stray whipped around at the noise, "Oh the brother arrives."

Blue giggled, "HELLO PAPPY, MAYBE YOU COULD TRY GIVING A BIT OF ADVICE?"

"uh, sure?" Honey scratched his head awkwardly. "on how to get a date right?"

"Kinda already live together?" 

"DATING CAN COME AFTER THAT." Blue assured patting the bitty on the head. 

Stray huffed at the treatment swatting at Blue's hand.

“you’re really trying to get black to date you huh?” Honey looked at the small bitty. “you’ll have to convince him you’re serious first. from what i saw he doesn’t seem to realize you’re serious about it, that it’s just a crush. or something...”

Stray sighed shoulders drooping a bit, "Don't really know how else to spell it out." 

"LITERALLY?" Blue intoned with a grin.

“guy struggles with the idea that we don’t wanna hurt him, and we don’t want to date him. you’re facing an uphill road.” Honey shrugged. “could always go for someone easier.”

Stray flipped him the bird with one tiny hand, "As if."

Blue giggled again, "I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT A MARKET FOR BITTY SIZED PRODUCTS... I DON'T KNOW WHY. 

"I could always test for you." Stray grinned. 

"THE SERVICE WOULD BE APPRECIATED."

Honey took that as his cue to try and escape.

"Think we scared him off." Stray chuckled. 

"HE'LL LIVE." Blue assured him, "BUT HE IS RIGHT, YOU NEED TO BE VERY DIRECT."

Stray grumbled, "Yeah yeah, direct I get it."

Honey sighed in relief as he escaped up the stairs. And now to play Portal until he managed to suppress what he’d heard.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Sans checked his armor before turning back to Stray to secure the harness and leash.

Stray pouted, "I'm not gonna run off or anything."

"NO, BUT IT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU."

Stray blinked, put off his argument by the compliment, "Fiiiine."

Sans grinned. "GOOD STRAY." He stood up and led the way out of the house, scanning around them.Stray followed along, albeit a bit grumpily. A lady was walking her dog on the street and stared at the pair. Sans puffed himself up. Stray wiggled his fingers at the lady with a cheeky grin. The lady stared harder at the pair. Sans growled, and she quickly picked up her pace.

Stray snickered popping up to Sans shoulder. With a sarcastic tone, he chirped, "She seemed nice."

“PEASANT,” Sans sniffed. He continued his walk. He actually looked around with care examining everything. It was different walking through with an eye to familiarize himself and be confident in the area. Stray hummed to himself and tangled his fingers in the leash for his amusement.

“SO MUCH FOR BOTH OF US WALKING.”

Stray pouted, "I like staying closer."

“VERY WELL.” Stray’s habit of perching on his right shoulder was convenient for him anyway, helping to cover his blind spot.

Stray nuzzled at Sans' jawline briefly, "Talk when we get back?"

Sans studied Stray. He looked serious. “ALRIGHT.”

The bitty grinned, relaxing into his spot and carefully swinging his legs. Sans took his time walking around and examining everything. This really wasn’t such a bad neighborhood. He had lots of space to see attacks coming in, and while the security was awful he didn’t have to fear triggering traps. He was almost jaunty when he got back to the house and removed Stray’s leash. “IT WAS VERY DECORATIVE.” And pointless, considering Stray had decided to not walk.

"It's too long." The bitty complained pouting.

“YOU WANT SOMETHING YOU CAN’T WALK ON?” Sans teased.

"Maybe." He purred back.

Sans grinned. “WE’LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO.”

Stray grinned, "I might have an in myself you know."

“OH?”

The bitty just hummed, shaking himself, "Gonna sit down?"

Ah, right. Stray wanted to talk to him. He took a seat and moved Stray to his lap so he could watch the bitty. “I’M LISTENING.”

Stray crossed his legs, "So I talked to Blue. And  _ kinda _ to Honey? He wasn't as forthcoming..."

Sans bristled. “WHY?” Did Stray want to live with them? Was he going to try to leave?

Stray raised a brow, "Okay chill, I went to ask advice. And maybe a little bit to prove a point."

“WHAT POINT?”

Stray snickered, "You are, absolutely, edible."

Sans flushed and squirmed. Well wasn't that an interesting reaction, he'd file it away, for now, to examine later. "But the thing we really debated about was how to express-" 

He scratched at his own arms a bit, "I guess being blunt is easier in your head than it is out loud..."

Sans took deep breaths trying to calm himself as he waited for Stray to find his words. Stray was very tense. Completely ready to end up somewhere else from fessing up. He had to try though, right? 

"It was pointed out...that I may sound less than serious about my intentions. So let me be perfectly clear. I want you. And I know I'm not the most ideal thing, but I would appreciate a chance, a serious one."

Sans stared at Stray. Just like the bitty had said, he was dead serious. "YOU WANT ME."

"That is how I said it. I guess I could put it in another perspective by using the word love, but I find that there are too many variations to be sure of."

Sans shifted uncomfortably. "DESPITE HOW HARD BEING WITH ME WOULD BE?"

"You think I've found anything but this conversation that hard?" Stray grinned crookedly.

"THERE'S A HUGE SIZE DIFFERENCE. AND..." Sans shifted. "I AM NOT A GENTLE PERSON, OR GOOD WITH SOCIALIZING." He knew Stray knew this, but he felt he needed to repeat it here.

"Yeah the Blueberry brought the size thing up to. Suggested soul contact as a main intimacy option." Stray snorted an indignant noise, "I know you're not, you literally threw me and I followed you home. And I thought about it being your aura, the LV? But those other larger monsters had it too and I didn't feel compelled to follow after them. So it's something about you."

"S-S-SOUL INTIMACY?" Sans flushed even worse and wrapped his arms around himself. He couldn't believe Stray just said that out loud! And then said that what drew Stray in was special, unique to Sans. He couldn't get any darker, the flush spreading down his neck.

Stray raised a brow at him, "It's a suggestion. I'm not going to rip the thing outta ya. I did volunteer to test anything he could manage for bitty use, which could very well give other options if that doesn't sit well with you."

A squeak escaped from Sans.

Stray slouched into himself, "Course that doesn't matter if you're really not interested. I get that."

Sans tried to make a noise to tell Stray that he was in fact interested, but his ability to talk seemed to have vanished. Stray watched him carefully, still unwilling to move unless directed to do so.

It took a few minutes for Sans to calm down enough to verbalize again. “IF YOU...I WANT...I’M ENOUGH?”

Stray titled his skull doing his best to work out the possible answers, "You're serious?"

Sans nodded.

Stray blinked and nodded to himself and crawled back up to his normal spot and slumped, as bonelessly as a tiny skeleton was capable of being, in relief. "Okay, then that's settled."

Sans carefully curled around Stray. “YOU’RE REALLY HAPPY?”

"I don't know  _ happy _ is the right word, seems a little weak." He replied purring steadily.

Sans flushed. He couldn’t speak. His soul seemed to ache with everything he felt. Stray nuzzled at his sternum, sending little threading tendrils of affection, relief, and excitement back in an effort to calm the storm in the larger monster.

It took a couple of hours for Sans to calm down. He fell asleep still wrapped around Stray on the couch, exhausted from the emotional drain. Stray stayed right where he was purring and pouring forth a steady stream of, what he hoped were, positive emotions; until he also fell asleep.

* * *

Sans woke up like normal, only for yesterday’s events to crash back in. He scooped up Stray and nuzzled him, desperately pushing back his fears. At some point, they had moved back to the bed, though still wrapped closely together. Stray patted him back groggily, content to snooze as long as he was allowed. Stray’s touches eased Sans. They were alright. Stray wasn’t going to leave him right now. He could even trap Stray with him if he had to, the bitty was small enough. It was okay.

He did need to figure out how relationships worked. Sans thought it over and let out a small growl. Why was it that the one resource he could think of was the reason he was in this mess instead of just enjoying having Stray?

Stray purred and slurred out a "Whas wrong?"

“I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’M DOING WITH YOU.”

"Sleeping. It's a bed." Stray replied nuzzling down and gripping the blanket.

Sans snickered and nuzzled Stray. He put the bitty carefully into the bed and grabbed his phone before slipping to the other room. Stray whined, but rolled into the warm spot on the bed abandoned by the skeleton and pulled the blanket up to trap the warmth and smell and block out any light.

Sans dialed the phone and waited impatiently for Blue to answer.

Blue paused in his stretching to stare at his phone, he clicked it onto the speaker after the second ring, "YES?"

"AS YOU'RE THE REASON I'M IN THIS POSITION YOU'RE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES," Black said bluntly. "HOW DO YOU BE IN A RELATIONSHIP?"

"WELL GOOD MORNING TO YOU TO." Blue replied grinning widely, "I'M AFRAID I CAN ONLY GIVE THE SAME POINTERS THAT A MANUAL WOULD. I LACK AN ACTUAL DATEMATE."

"THERE'S A MANUAL ON THIS SORT OF THING?"

"OF COURSE! I HAVE A COPY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BORROW IT. OH, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW RELATIONSHIP!"

"I WILL TAKE IT," Black told Blue. He didn't acknowledge the congratulations, unsure how to react to someone reacting positively to something that didn't affect them.

"SURE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PICK IT UP? OR I CAN SEND PAPPY OVER TO DROP IT OFF NOW THAT HE'S BEEN TO YOUR HOME."

"HE WON'T APPEAR INSIDE?"

"I CAN TELL HIM NOT TO IF YOU LIKE." Blue assured switching his position to work a different set of magic lines and pseudo-flesh.

"IF HE DOES REST ASSURED HE WON'T LIKE IT," Black warned.

"FRANKLY I'M CERTAIN HE WOULD RATHER AVOID THE SITUATION AFTER WHAT HE HEARD IN THE CONVERSATION WITH STRAY. HE'S BEEN QUITE ADAMANT ABOUT AVOIDING AS OF LATE."

Black snorted. "FOOLISH."

"I'LL REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU NEXT NEED A FAVOR." Blue replied cheerily.

Black stiffened. "WHAT IS THE REQUIREMENT FOR PAYMENT?" he said monotonously.

"I DON'T NEED PAYMENT FOR BORROWING A BOOK BLACK." Blue sighed.

"HM." An unvoiced debt then? Black considered how he might get rid of the debt.

"SO ARE YOU EXCITED?"

"ABOUT STRAY?"

"ABOUT THE SITUATION."

Black considered carefully how to word it. "I AM NOT EXCITED. IT IS MORE...HE IS MINE." It was hard to be excited about something he hadn't spent enough time on to fantasize about.

Blue giggled, nearly losing his balance in his stretching, "I THINK THAT'S BEEN QUITE OBVIOUS FOR SOME TIME NOW. THOUGH I SUPPOSE YOU HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH TIME FOR ANY SORT OF CHANGES TO BE APPARENT."

"CHANGE? WHAT CHANGE?" Black asked sharply. Was something changing he needed to watch for?

"I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THAT ANYTHING WILL? STRAY HAS BEEN QUITE DEVOTED TO YOU AS IS. AND YOU WILL BE THE ONE DECIDING HOW TO PACE THINGS ON YOUR END. IT COULD BE THAT NOTHING DOES OTHER THAN HOW YOU INTEND TO THINK OF EACHOTHER."

Black nodded slowly. "RIGHT. THINGS WILL BE FINE."

"OF COURSE THEY WILL!"

Black grinned. "SEND YOUR BROTHER OVER WITH THE BOOK. I'LL HAVE SOMETHING FOR HIM IN RETURN." He hung up.

Blue blinked at the dead call line, oh dear...what under the Stars could Black have meant by that? He shook his head and finished his post-run routine before going to attempt waking his brother.

Honey had stayed up way too late last night marathoning One Piece. He was slumped half off his bed onto a pile of clothes blankets a completely twisted up mess.

Blue tapped his foot lightly and then prodded his brother gently, "Pappy, It's Time To Get Up."

"mm." Honey shifted slightly but didn't wake.

Blue sighed and bent to awkwardly pick his wayward sibling up. He should wake up easily enough with a warm breakfast. Honey snuggled into Blue and nuzzled him. So warm, so nice.

"Wake Up Silly Brother. I Need You To Run An Errand For Me Once You've Eaten." He rambled as he set off for the kitchen.

"mm." Honey let out a yawn slowly stretching. He was moving. Blue must have picked him up. That was okay. Blue was good at looking after him.

"Indeed, Would You Like Hot Cereal? You Can Add Your Dreaded Sweets Into It Easy."

"mhm." Sweets, that sounded good.

Blue set him down in a spot at the table, "Is Coil Up Yet?"

"mm, nope." Honey blinked and yawned again. "he's...somewhere." Where did the lamia go?

Blue bustled about the kitchen, getting ready to make breakfast, "I Suggest Finding Him Before You Drop The Dating Manual Off At Black's For Me."

"k." Honey blinked trying to parse through that. "black?"

"APPARENTLY STRAY TOOK THE ADVICE TO HEART."

Honey nodded. Then it actually registered. "wait, what?"

Blue set a pot on to boil, "I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM BLACK THIS MORNING DEMANDING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACTION OF ENCOURAGING THE BITTY. APPARENTLY THEY'VE ENTERED SOME SORT OF FURTHERED RELATIONSHIP. I OFFERED TO LET HIM BORROW MY COPY OF THE DATING MANUAL, HE DIDN'T KNOW IT EXISTED!"

"ah." Well. That was...something. And far too much to think about first thing in the morning. Honey laid his head back down on the table closing his eyes.

Blue snorted, "DON'T GO BACK TO SLEEP, THIS WILL BE DONE SOON!"

"mm, nah. this is comfy."

Blue huffed, "FINE, I'LL JUST HAVE TO WAKE YOU BACK UP IN A FEW MOMENTS."

"sounds good to me."

The smaller skeleton rolled his eye-lights, tossing his hands into the air, and returned to cooking.

Coil slithered into the kitchen from one of his hiding spots and climbed up Blue to coincidentally be in the perfect spot if food happened to be near him. Not that he would ever beg for treats.

Blue snickered and went for the fridge, he kept a stock of precooked bacon that went in the microwave for the bitty as a morning food, "YES I'M WORKING ON YOU TO."

Coil hissed. Who, him? He didn’t have to be fed. He was a mighty hunter!

Blue giggled and patted his little head, setting a couple of pieces of the bitty's breakfast in to warm up, "DID YOU SLEEP WELL COIL?"

“Yes,” Coil told him. “Found a quiet spot.”

"GOOD! I'M GLAD YOU HAVE FOUND A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO REST." he added the oats to cook and nabbed the bacon from the microwave to drop Coil off at the table with the plate.

  
  


Coil carefully stalked and defeated his bacon. Honey smiled and petted Coil, the tiny lamia pretending to hate the affection and hissing as he accidentally put himself in the perfect position to be petted. Blue giggled and brought over a bowl of oatmeal and Honey's preferred sweet junk, Blue resorted to putting pieces of fruit in his (he could at least pretend to be the healthier sibling damnit).

Honey sat up and dumped tons of brown sugar on the oatmeal. He dug into the breakfast and grinned waking up with the hot food. “great as always bro.”

Blue grumbled about the sugar and rotting teeth but grinned at the praise.

Honey chuckled. “it’s fine. not using white sugar right?”

"Brown Is Just White With Molasses Added." Blue quipped back mixing banana pieces around.

"thought it was supposed to be the unprocessed stuff." Honey considered that, shrugged, and ate more.

Blue gave his sibling a fond smile, "It's Better Than Not Eating."

Honey nodded and finished his oatmeal. "good stuff. thanks bro."

"Anytime Pappy. Let Me Get That Book For You." He popped up from the table. Book? Honey wracked his mind. Blue did say something about a book earlier, didn’t he?

Blue scurried off but returned very shortly with a copy of the dating manual. "He Asked You Didn't Just Pop Into The House Proper."

Honey stared at the dating manual like it was going to bite him. Black wanted that? “right.”

Blue giggled at the face he was making, "You Know It Wouldn't Hurt To Read Through It Yourself. It Does Have Decent Ideas."

"see ya!" Honey popped out, quickly landing outside Black's home. He ended up having to duck and twist after accidentally setting off a trap. Was there any spot on Black's yard that wasn't trapped?

Black opened the door and watched Honey jump around in amusement. He was better than he'd expected at dodging.

Stray lounged on his shoulder, "Man you move quick for someone usually passed out on a couch."

Honey finally got back on the sidewalk safely. "you...my bro...gotta keep up...right?" He grinned and held out the book. "got a dating manual for ya."

"HM." Black accepted the manual and nodded. He held out a bottle of good wine in return. Honey accepted it with a whistle. "thanks."

Stray peered at the book, "A manual? They make books for this stuff?"

"yup," Honey popped.

"Cool." Stray replied eyeing it as he wrapped his arms around Sans' neck.

Black stepped back and closed the door. Honey shrugged and popped back home.


	13. Spiking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where we see Sans at less than his best, but it doesn't seem to matter to his tiny trouble.

Inside Black eagerly sat down to start reading the manual. Stray snuck occasional glances at the book but mostly spent his time cuddling the larger skeleton. Black looked at Stray occasionally, considering how much of this applied to them. Then he hit the chapter on intimacy and flushed. The color coming off the larger monster alerted him. He glanced down to the book and grinned, running his tongue along the seam of magic between vertebrae.

Sans flinched at the touch and ducked down trying to hide behind the book. Stray purred in apology, nuzzling at the bigger skeleton's neck. Sans gently patted him.

"So? Find anything interesting?"

"...hand holding..."

Stray snorted, "You can hold  _ all of me _ in a hand. But we can do that."

Sans stayed squished down. He did however hold up a hand to Stray. Stray grinned and set both hands onto Sans' larger one, gripping two different fingers.

Wow. This was nice. Sans cracked a small grin and held Stray in return. Stray hummed and pressed his teeth to the back of Sans' hand. This was great. Sans moved Stray up and pressed him into his chest, giving up on hiding behind the book. Stray let out a noise, mixed between a hum and a purr, and snuggled into his chest. One hand still clutching to Sans and one threading into ribs. Sans let out a quiet purr in return. These moments of having Stray with him were worth everything. The purr from Sans coxed Stray's purring into amping up in volume. Sans grinned, at this rate Stray was going to vibrate himself right off Sans with the strength of his purrs.

Stray was on cloud nine! His Lord had agreed to a relationship, was taking steps to further it, and seemed happy. Sans gently petted the bitty. Perhaps being in a relationship wasn't so hard. He was doing great just like this. Stray leaned into the attention gently nipping at the finger with a strong intent of playfulness.

Sans responded by playfully flattening Stray down and caging him with his hand. "FIGHTING ME HUH?" Sans teased.

"Can't let you get bored."

"I'LL JUST HAVE TO PROVE WHY I'M IN CHARGE, WON'T I?" Sans scratched at Stray lightly.

Stray chuckled, "You think so?"

"YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Sans poked harder at Stray.

"I think that depends on who you ask." He cracked back swiping playfully at the poking finger.

"WHO'S THE ONE WHO DECIDES WHAT WE DO?" He poked at Stray again.

Stray raised a brow, "Historically I've done quite a bit of that."

Sans growled and poked harder. Stray laughed choking out a noise of pleasure from the pressure on him, "But I don't mind you taking charge at all."

"HMPH." Sans released the pressure and scratched Stray's face instead. "BRAT."

Stray leaned into the claw just barely missing his socket, "Absolutely."

"CAREFUL," Sans growled. He wasn't that good of a healer. If he blinded Stray it could be permanent.

Stray hummed, "I am careful. Most of the time."

"EYE SOCKETS AREN'T EASY TO HEAL." Sans touched his scarred one.

Stray scrabbled up to nuzzle Sans cheek, "Alright. I'll be better about it."

"GOOD." Sans relaxed and petted Stray again.

Stray grinned and petted the larger monster back, smoothing a hand down his cheek. Sans gently nipped Stray. Stray purred, "Keep going imma say damn that book an' go for something quicker."

“NEEDY.” Not that he had any clue how to go for something quicker. Sans supposed he’d just help Stray and figure out his half later.

"Maybe, in some ways."

Sans nuzzled against Stray again. Stray nuzzled back, "But, you got stuff to get used to first."

Sans studied Stray. “PERHAPS.” There was no perhaps. He was nervous. But he refused to back down. The route Stray offered to back down without losing his pride was very convenient.

"Perhaps." Stray nodded, "Besides, got enough thought fodder for a while just catching you on accident."

“CATCHING WHAT ON ACCIDENT?” Sans’ voice sharpened.

Stray blinked, "I might have walked by the door before you put a shirt on the other day?"

Sans took that in and snorted. He broke into laughter. “THAT’S IT?”

"It might have been a camera I was testing that drained me?" He continued sheepishly.

“YOU MORON!” Sans slapped Stray, sending him skidding. “YOU BRAINLESS HALFWIT!”

Stray blinked at him dazed from the blow. His eye-lights wavered, for just a few seconds, between normal and tiny hearts, "Didn't know it was gonna do that."

“IF YOU USE THE CAMERA BEFORE THAT IS FIXED I WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IN THE JUNK ROOM.”

"M workin on it." He replied standing up and shaking himself. Something popped a bit, sending a zing up his spine, and he nearly made a completely inappropriate noise, only managing to quiet it a bit. Sans eyed Stray measuring his resolve. Stray blinked back at him before popping back to his spot. Sans relaxed and turned his attention back to the book. He would reread the earlier stuff again.

Stray shuddered and pressed his face into Sans' sternum, "Tease."

“MHM.”

Stray pouted, but took a deep breath and settled more firmly in place, "Read it for me to?"

Sans glanced at Stray in surprise and beamed. He returned to the front and began to read out loud.

Stray settled, holding his purring down as much as he could so he could still hear.

* * *

  
  


Sans woke up on edge. He knew it was his LOVE spiking. He did his best to bite it back and hold it down. He didn't wake Stray that morning, leaving the bitty in the bed. He didn't trust himself to not lash out.

Stray stirred, but allowed himself to be set back on the bed. Something had the larger monster agitated and he didn't want to make things worse. He waited awhile, to wake up at leisure, before venturing from the room. Sans didn't notice when Stray entered the room he was in, occupied with slowly shattering a wooden pillar, focused intently on slowly using his claws to rip into it. He could keep this pace. He didn't have to let it control him and lash out all at once.

The bitty stuck to the perimeter of the room, staying low and out of sight as much as he could. He settled down to watch near silently.

Sans paused quietly scanning the room. Stray was just a blip, nothing to concern himself over. He resumed shredding the wood, perhaps making more of a show of how deadly he was.

Stray watched for a few moments, barely concerned about the display beyond if wood splinters could possibly hurt the larger monster. Sans finally finished shredding the wood and took a deep breath. "STRAY."

"M'lord?"

"LET'S TEST YOUR OBSTACLE COURSE." Sans smirked cruelly at the small bitty.

Stray pouted, that was actual  _ work _ . He'd do it anyway if it made his Lord happy. Sans waited a moment before summoning his smallest bones threatening the smaller to get moving.

Stray popped to his feet, "Don't suppose your shoulder's available?"

Sans barked out a laugh. "CHEEKY." He roughly picked Stray up.

Stray hummed and snuggled in for the short ride to wherever. Sans prickled sharply. He was painful to curl against, Stray shivered taking in the agitated magic. Sans entered the junk room and let loose an attack blasting more junk out of the room. He'd have to buy more, the room was starting to get bare. He marched over to the obstacle course and dropped Stray on it.

Stray sighed at being put down, but he did automatically take off to work his way around the obstacles. It would be worth it to gain approval. Sans ran magic into the obstacle course, making sharpened traps move and the floor shift beneath him. Sans grinned watching Stray weave through narrowly avoiding injury.

He slipped a few times, unexpecting the sudden change in movement. He hissed when he caught a rib on a spike, scraping the underside, but kept moving. Sans grinned hungrily at the scrape. When Stray came out the far side Sans stopped supplying his magic to the obstacle course and picked Stray up to lick at the injured rib. Stray hissed again, ending in a purr at the treatment, subconsciously arching into the motion.

"MM." Sans let out a purr. There was less pleasure in the sound than there usually is, more of the contentedness of a hunter looking for more. Stray stayed still watching the larger monster sharply. Sans grinned at Stray and put the bitty back down. He stretched out and summoned his scythe heading out back. Stray followed behind the bigger monster, almost wishing he had the camera on him, this had the potential for very nice footage.

Sans proceeded to enjoy destroying the outside and moving through clean strikes. It was good to focus it like this. He didn’t need to even destroy targets, just feel the power in his strikes.

Stray grumbled to himself about not having the camera. He watched with a high interest in the amount of control he displayed. This was....yeah he had maybe better avoid the larger monster for a bit...or risk the ire.

Sans finally dismissed his weapon as the last of the buzz settled and headed inside to get something to eat. Stray took a few moments to get himself out of his hyper-aware state and pop inside to the junk room. He would have quite a fit if he went right to the larger monster, he needed to burn off some of this arousal first.

Sans finished making a slightly more complex sauce for the pasta than usual and looked it over. Nothing was burnt. The flavor was better than alright too. He dished up and looked for Stray, who was actually in the bathroom using the sink to clean off some of the, perhaps excessive amount of scented lubricant. At least his ribs weren't slightly pink-tinted anymore, even if the smell still clung to him a bit.

"THERE YOU ARE." Sans grinned at Stray. "DINNER'S READY." Mm, he smelled good.

Stray blinked up at the larger monster, "Yeah? Cool."

Sans scooped Stray up and nuzzled him. He smelled so good. He stood there for a while soaking it in. Stray tilted his skull in confusion but nuzzled back (not the one to pass up free cuddle time).

"YOU ARE PERFECT," Sans purred. He finally snapped out of it and walked to the kitchen, but he kept Stray pressed closed.

Stray chuckled and clung to Sans as they moved, "Nah, that's your role."

Sans nipped at Stray playfully, then lingered. Stray let put a pleased growling noise and nuzzled at Sans again, since he wasn't moving, fair game. Sans pressed desire into Stray with his nuzzles.

Stray's breath caught, "Something you want M'lord?"

"YOU."

Stray flushed, "Um... however you please?"

Sans grinned and nuzzled Stray more before catching sight of the cooling food. He growled.

Stray shivered at the noise, "It'll reheat."

Sans considered that and nodded. He left the kitchen to head to the bedroom and play with his bitty. He laid down on the bed and began to press his fingers against Stray.

Stray shuddered, pressing back. He was still a bit sensitized from earlier and this was likely to be the best type of torture he could imagine.

Sans purred watching Stray squirm under the attention. Yes, he really liked this. He didn't know what he was doing, but he'd let that go for now. He just kept his attention on the smaller monster touching him the best he could. Stray flushed under the scrutiny, this was different. Was this how others felt when he was cracking lewd jokes and flirting? He lightly directed his fingers when he felt brave enough to do so.

"YOU'RE GOOD LIKE THIS," Sans murmured.

"I'm good all the time." He teased back, though it lacked the enthusiasm it usually had backing the words. Sans purred and pressed harder with his fingers. Stray gasped then grit his fangs, it hurt a bit, in the  _ best _ way. He had already worked himself over more than once and this was...unpredictable. Sans scooped Stray close so he could nuzzle and nibble at the tiny being.

That treatment got his magic's attention real quick. He flushed brighter as it settled heavily into place, though not completely forming.

Sans purred. "YOU SMELL SO GOOD, LOOK SO GOOD."

Stray sputtered a bit, "Is it my smell or the sweet stuff?"

"IT'S YOU."

Well, that wasn't an ego boost or anything. He purred back, "So wear it more often?"

Sans grinned. "DEFINITELY NOT." He was fine with it being occasional.

"And what if I'm not asking?"

Sans growled and nipped Stray. Stray arched into the teeth, "I think, you might like the idea more than you let on. I'm always covered in you."

Sans shivered at those words.

Stray grinned, "That an agreement, or a revelation? Did you not notice?"

“NO, I DIDN’T.”

Stray hummed contentedly, "Makes it hard not to be, staying that close to you. Part of what makes my spot mine."

Sans shivered again and blinked in surprise at the pleasurable feeling that ran through him. Stray just grinned wider at the shudder and nuzzled at the hand on him, "Missed you this morning."

“YOU DISAPPEARED WELL.”

"You left first. And it was... heavy. Figured you left in that mood I'd not bother you with the side effects."

"IT WAS SMART. I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLEASANT LIKE THAT."

"Oh, I found it pleasant enough."

Sans pulled back and shook his head. "I WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU IF I'D SLIPPED."

" _ If _ you'd slipped. If someone hadn't made me dump the camera until it's reworked you could see for yourself how much control you had." He smarted.

Sans grinned and petted Stray. Stray nipped at his fingers. Sans’ blow was harsher than normal striking Stray in relation. He rattled a bit with the hit, a hiss escaping him. "You really do know how to excite someone."

"AND YOU KNOW HOW TO BE A TRUE PEST." Sans nuzzled Stray.

Stray nuzzled back, clinking his fangs to Sans' cheek in a tiny kiss. Sans let out a low purr. He finally pulled back and smiled at Stray. Stray purred back, taking in the sight of the smile. He did that? Was this really real? Sans touched Stray more, almost massaging the tiny body under his fingers.

Stray squirmed again, pressing into or away from the touch depending on the spot. Sans drank it in eagerly figuring out where to press. It took effort not to make himself a mess all over again. He was swiftly approaching failing in that regard. And he glowed, something he wasn't used to on his own.

"YOU'RE GLOWING."

He squeaked, but there wasn't much to do about it, "And?"

"I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE." Sans admired it. "IT'S BEAUTIFUL."

Stray shrugged, "It's okay."

"BETTER THAN OKAY." Sans just wanted to sit there admiring Stray.

Stray squirmed again, "Guess maybe? Not near as impressive as you are."

“I’VE NEVER GLOWED.”

"Don't have to, I can feel you without it."

  
  


Sans flushed slightly. Stray grinned at the flush of magic, "What thought I stayed close for warmth?"

“I THOUGHT IT WAS TO ABSORB THE MAGIC YOU NEEDED.”

"Could pick anyone for that. I chose you."

Sans flushed and turned away. Stray wiggled himself out from under the hand on him and went to nuzzle at Sans.

"YOU'RE A DISASTER."

"Your disaster."

Sans finally looked at Stray, his eye lights soft. "YES."

Stray nodded and nuzzled at him again. Sans returned the nuzzle. "WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE DINNER."

"Gonna leave me like this?" Stray whined softly motioning to himself.

Sans grinned wickedly. "I COULD HELP YOU OUT THERE FIRST." He rubbed at Stray's summoned magic.

Stray shuddered, okay so assuming he'd flush and back out was wrong. Very, very wrong. He grit his fangs again with a low noise.

Sans focused on seeing how he could make Stray make more of those noises rumbling with interest. He was enjoying this more than he'd expected.

Stray whined again pressing into the fingers, not fair. He couldn't exactly reciprocate like this... his whole body shuddered.

"ENJOYING THIS?"

"I enjoy everything you give me." He replied with a low purr. Sans purred back.

Stray tilted his skull, "Hurt me. We'll get on with the night."

Sans nodded and stabbed his claw into the bitty.

Well, that did it for sure. He almost collapsed down, shuddering with the climax it triggered, clutched onto Sans' hand to keep from completely falling off his perch. Sans watched Stray with a level of fascination he had not expected from himself. He really enjoyed that. Stray panted a bit, but looked up at him, "Um back to the sink for a few?"

Sans chuckled and picked Stray up to take him to the sink. Stray snuggled into him purring loudly again. Heedless of the mess of magic the coiled along his bones to rub off on anything it touched. Sans dipped into the sink scrubbing Stray and his hands over until he was satisfied both were clean. He picked Stray up and nuzzled him. "THAT WAS..." Sans struggled, his voice failing to say what he knew. That he'd enjoyed it.

Stray hummed back and nodded where he was still plastered to the bigger monster, "Well I can say I'd do it again...and again ect."

Sans snorted. "THE FOOD WILL BE COLD."

"I didn't mean now, you trying to kill me?" He replied dramatically.

"AND GAIN WHAT EXP?" Sans snorted.

Stray gently whacked him with a snort of laughter. Sans grinned and headed back to the kitchen. He rewarmed their pasta and tucked in. It was good, if not as good as Stray under his hands had been. No, don't think about that right now. Focus on dinner.

Stray refused to budge off on him. He was much more interested in prolonged contact than moving for food. Sans held up a bite of food to Stray when he didn’t make any moves to feed himself. Stray hummed and accepted the offering with one hand, the other still clinging to him.

“YOU’RE GOING TO NEED TO WASH AGAIN,” Sans teased. It was a good thing Stray wasn’t bothered by being nude.

Stray shrugged, "You could join in this time."

Tempting. Very tempting. Sans’ eye-lights sharpened as he ate.

Stray grinned, "Come on, nothing we haven't done before."

"TRUE, BUT USUALLY THAT'S IN THE MORNING, OR BEFORE BED. AND I'M NOT READY TO SLEEP YET."

"So you're just gonna leave me to the sink again?"

"I AM A CRUEL LORD."

"You are." Stray lamented pouting.

Sans chuckled quietly. Stray hummed and rubbed his face against Sans again. Sans nuzzled him back.

Stray purred, "Cuddles?"

"YOU JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH CAN YOU?"

"Of you? Never."

Sans grinned at Stray. He was so glad he'd deigned to stoop to taking the other's advice and looking at bitties. Stray finished up with food, snuggling back into his spot firmer, hands locking behind Sans' sternum.

"FINE, WE'LL WASH TOGETHER," Sans grumbled. He was in no mood to pry him off.

Stray grinned purring up a storm.

"ONE DAY YOU'RE GOING TO PURR SO HARD YOU FALL OFF ME," Sans told him.

"Mmmmm nah."

Sans poked him. "YOU THINK SO EH?"

Stray dropped his chin on the offending finger, "Yep."

Sans slapped Stray lightly and laughed. The bitty stuck out his tongue at the larger monster, lulled by the movement and warmth of the laughter. Sans stripped in the bathroom and stepped into the hot water. He lifted his head basking in the heat against his body. Stray grumbled at the slick it made and dug his tiny claws in reflex to help keep himself in place.

Sans turned his head at the tiny pricks of almost pain and grinned at the small bitty. He grabbed a cloth to scrub gently at the other trying to not knock him off. Stray grumbled again, trying to wiggle away from the cloth (more an excuse to just slide against the larger monster than anything else).

"STAY STILL." Sans scrubbed harder.

"Awwww but babe still isn't as much fun." He half whined.

"OH?" Sans scooped Stray up and held him upside down. "IS THIS BETTER?" he teased.

Stray squirmed, "No. Now I'm lonely."

"I'M RIGHT HERE IDIOT."

"But you're so far away." He pouted.

Sans grinned mockingly and poked Stray. “WHAT A SHAME.”

Stray popped to his shoulder, "Yeah a real pity."

Sans swiped playfully to grab Stray again.

Stray jerked to the side to avoid the swipe, and nearly fell back into the larger monster's ribs.

"ACK!" Sans danced around feeling Stray brushing the delicate area of bone. Stray laughed trying to right himself physically instead of popping out.

Sans squeaked a little. "THAT'S SENSITIVE!"

"I'm aware, hold still."

Sans stilled himself. Stray climbed back out and perched himself on the shoulder again, "There, not so hard."

Sans shivered slightly at the light, almost ghost touches from the tiny monster climbing back out. "CAREFUL NOT TO SLIP INSIDE AGAIN."

"Not even just the tip?" He teased.

"AND HOW WOULD YOU MANAGE THAT ACCIDENTALLY?"

"Don't know, ask a she. They're the ones that say everything!"

Sans snorted. "THAT IS TERRIBLE. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU EVEN ATTEMPTED A JOKE THAT BAD."

"I'm shocked, I thought you knew my humor by now." He leaned on Sans.

"I KEEP HOPING IT'LL IMPROVE."

"Maybe in time and good company."

"I CAN ONLY HOPE SO." He finished showering and stepped back out toweling himself off. Sans admired his bones. He was looking much better now that he was eating more. Look how nice his bones were. They seemed to have an entirely new sheen to them.

Stray grinned and scootched down to his spot, "Hope's a good thing."

Sans grinned and looked at Stray. "INDEED."

"So I can hope to go to bed and snuggle soon."

Sans snorted. "KEEP DREAMING." He headed out and grabbed a printed layout of the neighborhood.

Stray pouted but clung back to his spot. Sans hummed as he checked his notes on his neighbors and made sure he knew where each one lived.

Stray hummed and popped down to look at the notes, "Got a good handle on the area."

"THANK YOU." Sans grinned at Stray. It was good to have someone appreciate his work.

Stray looked at him curiously, and pointed to one of the houses, "This one got kids, and their mom  _ haaate _ s me."

"HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?" Sans glared at Stray.

"I might have cursed in front of one. Got the stink eye."

"YOU'VE BEEN EXPLORING THEIR HOMES?"

"Not like inside or anything. I know cause they were in the yard."

"AH. AND YOU'VE BEEN CAREFUL?" Sans examined Stray carefully.

"I'm still here aren't I?" He replied cheekily.

Sans poked Stray. "CHEEKY." He noted down what Stray had said adding it to his notes. "ANYTHING ELSE USEFUL YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED?"

Stray shrugged, "Trash man's always later on Tuesday runs?"

"A PURPOSEFUL FAULT?"

Sans considered it trying to think how he could use such a thing.

"Who knows? Do they have a time it's supposed to happen?"

"I WILL INVESTIGATE THIS."

"Sure, I'll help."

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT AND ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ANYWAYS?" Sans didn't control Stray, but he did wonder what could draw Stray out like that.

Stray shrugged, "Things to see. Can't always sleep, and you get busy. Just depends."

"I SHOULD UP YOUR TRAINING."

"Stealth is training." He protested mildly.

"AND FIGHT TRAINING? YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ANYTHING THAT TOUCHES YOU REGRET IT."

"So I should be fighting you?" Stray teased.

“YOU WANNA TRY?” Sans smirked at the bitty.

Stray raised a brow, "Depends on what I get if I win."

Sans grinned. “YOU CAN TOUCH SOMEWHERE I DON’T ALLOW NORMALLY.”

Stray tilted his skull sizing the situation up, "Sure that wouldn't bother you too bad?"

“I WOULD TELL YOU WHEN TO STOP.” And he let Stray touch him so much anyway.

Stray hummed in thought, "This is a double edge. What're the rules?"

“YOU START ON THE GROUND AND MAY NOT TELEPORT ONTO ME DIRECTLY.”

"And injury?" He didn't want to harm the larger monster. If anything he wanted to help.

“THOSE ARE ALLOWED.”

"Nope." He waved the idea away sourly, "I refuse."

“WHY?”

Stray gave him an exasperated look and stubbornly crossed his arms, "I will not be another person in life that doesn't treat you exactly how you deserve."

Sans blinked in befuddlement at the small bitty. Stray flat out stared at him, stubbornly waiting for that to sink in.

“A SPAR ISN’T A BAD THING,” Sans said slowly.

"No, a spar isn't. But you don't have to hurt someone to do it."

Sans looked even more confused at that. “HOW CAN YOU SPAR WITHOUT THAT?”

Stray frowned, "Touchpoints?"

“TOUCHPOINTS? HOW WOULD THAT WORK?” And how could he measure the skill of the blow without feeling it?

Stray shook his head, "Think you could stop me from getting to your shoulder without either of us hurting each other?"

Sans replied to answer that of course he could, only to stop. How could he do it without hurting Stray? Sans frowned in thought. Stray stepped over to Sans and hooked his hands around a finger, "I don't want to be another reason you have to think about that."

Sans looked at Stray and nodded slowly. He didn’t understand, but he knew that Stray wouldn’t fight him if he attacked. The bitty nodded to himself and scrambled up the larger Monster's arm close enough to nuzzle his face. Sans petted Stray slowly thinking it over carefully. Were all bitties this protective? Stray leaned into the petting and rumbled a loud purr again before leaning more heavily onto the larger skeleton. Feeling Stray actively press against him was nice. Sans leaned back against Stray in reply.

Stray thrummed, "So just from idol curiosity...where am I not allowed to touch?"

"INSIDE OF MY RIBS, HUMERUS BONES, PELVIC BONES, LOWER SPINE, BACK OF MY NECK," Sans listed.

Stray nuzzled at him again, "And how does one clear any of those for touch?"

"BY BEING VERY, VERY LUCKY."

"Good thing I have the best luck ever." Stray joked.

"YOU THINK SO?"

"Got handed you didn't I?"

"YOU DIDN'T. YOU STOLE INTO MY HOME FOR YOURSELF," Sans countered.

"Naw, chance had a hand in it. Could've walked into a different shop. Could have not been there that exact weekend."

"YOU COULD HAVE HAD SOMEONE ELSE. LIKE THAT OTHER LIL BRO BITTY." Sans paused. "THAT IS THE CORRECT TYPE RIGHT?"

"Yeah, that's what I was supposed to be." He nodded, "He is more typical." "And do you think I really would have done well with some kid?" Stray snorted.

Sans laughed at the thought. "YOU'D BE A DISASTER."

"Maybe."

Sans flicked Stray lucky. "PERHAPS YOU ARE AS LUCKY AS YOU THINK."

"Think so?" The bitty questioned batting softly at the hand.

"THERE'S A CHANCE."

"How big of one?" He joked.

"ABOUT THE SAME AS ME GETTING BEATEN IN A FIGHT," Sans teased.

"So minuscule." He pouted, "Eh I'll take the odds anyway."

"GAMBLER."

"You leave me no choice!" He fake wailed dramatically.

"SAYS THE ONE THAT JUST SHOT DOWN A CHANCE," Sans teased.

Stray frowned and set his hands on Sans' face, "I will not hurt you to get into your pants. And if anybody does take them down."

"I HURT YOU," Sans pointed out.

"I like that." He replied, "You flinch."

"I DO NOT!" Sans denied quickly.

Stray raised a brow. Sans carefully didn't meet Stray's gaze.

Stray sighed and pressed his face to Sans', "You'll trust me eventually."

"I TRUST YOU. I TOUCH YOU, DON'T I? I SLEEP WITH YOU."

"You avoid things." He pointed out bluntly, "But it's okay."

Sans sighed. Stray was right. He didn't like that fact, but he was.

Stray nudged him, "You'll get there."

"MAYBE." He did have more hope than he'd had before.

Stray grinned, "Nah, you will, there's hope for you yet."

"I DON'T KNOW HOW I ENDED UP WITH YOU," Sans told Stray fondly. He nuzzled him. Sans hesitated and pressed almost a kiss to Stray.

Stray blinked and practically exploded into a loud purr, happily soaking in the action. Sans quietly purred back.

Stray looked at him in wonder, "You're beautiful."

"FOR YOU," Sans told him. He didn't think he could be beautiful for others, but he liked taking the extra time for Stray.

Stray inhaled sharply and nuzzled at him again, "Okay, gotta do something other than stand here or I'm going to get in a heap of trouble."

Sans snickered and shook his head looking back at the map. He carefully traced out a route he thought would be nice to walk and stood up to grab his armor to go out. Stray followed the path and popped over to Sans when he moved from the table.

"YOU SHOULD PUT CLOTHES ON."

"Or you could take yours off."

"WE'RE GOING OUTSIDE," Sans countered. "THAT MEANS CLOTHES." He wondered if he could fabricate some miniature armor for Stray.

Stray groaned, "Okay can't be tempted into bed."

"LAZY," Sans chided. "JUST FOR THAT, YOU'RE WALKING TODAY."

Stray whined, "Doesn't have anything to do with being lazy."

"YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?" Sans teased.

"You have a lot of expansive space compared to me. I don't think I could be lazy about bedding you."

Sans processed that and spluttered turning purple. Stray, to his credit, held in the snickers. Sans somehow managed to get his dignity back together and resume putting on the pieces of armor, though he couldn't look at Stray at all.

Stray grinned, "I'm right and you know it."

Nope, nope, nope! He couldn't hear anything. He wasn't noticing anything. Stray was not talking about-no, nothing was being mentioned at all.

Stray chuckled, "Alright so I need clothes?"

"YES."

He nodded grumbling, "Give me a few."

Sans nodded and finished securing his gloves. He rooted around for his boots and slipped them on before checking everything. Yes, it was good. Wait, was that some wear? Hmm, he needed to check it over. He hadn't done that for...a couple days? How had he let that slip?

Stray popped back down the stairs in the bare minimum of a tiny tank top and shorts, "Good enough?"

Sans ogled at Stray. He was used to seeing Stray naked, but somehow this was more distracting.

"What?"

How could he say that seeing parts of Stray covered up was distracting and he wanted to strip him again? Sans quickly looked away. "NOTHING."

Stray looked at the clothes, "Is it that bad? I know it's not like a fashion magazine or anything..."

"IT'S GOOD! I MEAN, FINE. IT'S FINE."

Stray blinked, "Alright..."

Sans tossed the leash in Stray's general direction. Stray grumbled and attached it.

Sans picked up the leash still trying to not look too closely at Stray. “LET’S GO.”

"Alright alright, I'm coming." The bitty replied, traipsing lazily after him.

**Author's Note:**

> Did you know: Our tiny friend is actually a specific breed of bitty (actually the inspiration behind the entire shop!). Located[here](https://factory-defect-bitties.tumblr.com/post/626633288406220800/welcome)! Feel free to stop in and check us out! 
> 
> So there's a lot to unpack here, not the nicest start...thing's'll get better right? Right? 
> 
> A huge thanks to both Blacksheep28 for dealing with my crazy ideas, and our friend firedrakegirl who indulges the both of us. 
> 
> There is a lot of this already worked through, though if you have any questions, comments, or ideas let us know!


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